Running Up That Hill
by WhiteCrow10
Summary: After a brawl in Shinra's lab, Shizuo and Izaya accidentally switch bodies. Will they be able to get along so they can switch back? Shizaya later on. Contains an OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, story time! One day, I was sitting around, reading Shizaya fanfiction when I realized that there were no fics that had Izaya or Shizuo switch bodies. I've always loved fics like that and I thought that it would be quite amusing if something like that happened to the two men in Ikebukuro that hate each other with a passion. The title is inspired by the song "Running Up That Hill" which has been performed by Kate Bush, Placebo, and Within Temptation. In the song, it says "And if I could make a deal with God and get him to swap our places..." and for that reason, I thought it would make a reasonable title for a fic like this. **

**This is the second fic I've written for Durarara and I hope I've gotten everyone in character. Later on, there might be some situations were some people get out of character and this will develop into Shizaya just to warn you. Hope you enjoy!  
**

Chapter 1

It was an average day in Ikebukuro. People were crowded on the streets, walking to work, school, or just for an outing. A few teenagers hung out on the street corners, talking about crushes or last night's homework. Simon Brezhnev stood outside of the Russian sushi restaurant, trying to hand out flyers to whoever passed by but this usually ended in many potential customers fleeing out of fear.

Across the street from the restaurant, Mikado Ryuugamine and his friend Masaomi Kida were walking to school peacefully. Masaomi glanced at his cell phone and frowned.

"They're late," he sighed, staring at a nearby street corner in disappointment.

"It doesn't matter," Mikado said to his friend. "We'll be late to school if we wait for them…"

"But Mikado!" Masaomi protested. "What about our morning entertainment? We need something to laugh at before we resign ourselves to the dreary halls of school! Don't you agree?"

"Masaomi-kun, they're not coming today," Mikado said, shaking his head and beginning to walk forward. "Maybe Izaya-san finally took into consideration how much fun a broken neck would be. Besides, I'm sure that there are more important things to do than sit around and wait for him to…"

Mikado was cut off by a park bench flying through the air and landing inches from where the teenage boy was standing. The dark-haired boy made a small squeak and stumbled back, landing clumsily on his ass. Masaomi ran up to him, a bright smile on his face.

"This is it!" he said excitedly. "Here's our entertainment for the morning!"

A yell broke out through the morning air, causing everyone on the streets to scatter in fear.

"I-ZA-YAAAAAAAAAA!"

Following the yell came a man, laughing maniacally as he bounded away from the bench and into the street. Cars screeched to a halt to avoid hitting him and drivers poked their heads out to yell at the man but stopped upon seeing who it was.

The laughing man twirled around as a traffic sign was thrown at him, his furry coat twisting with his thin body. His red eyes gleamed with excitement as his rival stepped out from behind the bench. He was ready to play his favorite game, one that he could only play in the streets of Ikebukuro.

"Oopsies~!" he giggled. "Looks like you missed me, Shizu-chan! You need to work on your aim."

"Shut up, flea!" the blonde man clothed in a bartender uniform roared, clutching a stop sign in his hand. The metal bent like flimsy aluminum under his strong fingers and his eyes burned with absolute hatred. "I thought I told you to never come here ever again!"

"Hmmm… Oh dear, my hearing must be getting worse with age…" the dark-haired man sighed dramatically. "Listen, Shizu-chan, I only came here to visit with Shinra and get something to eat at my favorite sushi restaurant so I don't have time for you. Sorry~"

"Spare me the lies, Izaya," Shizuo Heiwajima, the strongest man in Ikebukuro, snorted. "I know why you're really here."

"Oh~?" Izaya Orihara, the most dangerous man you could ever meet, replied and raised a thin eyebrow. "Really? Then why am I here, Shizu-chan?"

"You're only here to cause trouble," Shizuo snarled, taking his cigarette from his mouth and throwing it on the ground. The cancer stick soon met its end underneath his shoe as he ground it into the pavement. "And I told you not to call me that! My name is SHIZUO HEIWAJIMA!"

He flung the sign at Izaya, who simply dodged it at the last second. The dark haired man flashed another smart-ass grin at the blonde and ran off, making his way towards a secluded alley way. With an angered roar, Shizuo ran after him at top speed, his mind set only on killing that damned flea for once and all!

Back on the street, a terrified Mikado was still trying to process what had just happened while Masaomi jumped up and down in delight.

"I knew they would make it!" the blonde cheered. "It wasn't too impressive this time but those two never fail at making an exciting entrance! Right, Mikado?" He looked over to his friend, who was still sitting on the ground and shaking violently. "Mikado?"

"L-let's just get to school…" the dark haired boy sighed, getting up shakily. He reminded himself that he should probably find another route to school that didn't involve almost getting killed every morning.

…

"I-ZA-YA-KUUUUUUN!"

Izaya laughed to himself as he ran through the streets of Ikebukuro, the blonde brute following closely behind. He never could tire of their little game. Shizuo was just too easy to get fired up. It was like throwing a match into a tank of gas; Izaya would push and push until the other man exploded and threw something dangerously heavy at him. That was what made their game so fun.

He leapt into the air, anticipating the sign being thrown at him from behind. Gathering his legs beneath him, he chuckled as he watched the sign soar underneath his feet and bury itself into a nearby wall. He landed on the ground gracefully, like a cat, and prepared to take off again…

What the informant hadn't anticipated was that Shizuo was suspecting that he would miss Izaya the first time so he had decided to throw a large vending machine at the distracted informant.

The vending machine smacked into Izaya, forcing a pained cry from the informant's lips. Shizuo's face broke out into a malicious grin. He had him; he finally had that damned flea! He approached the vending machine, watching as Izaya struggled helplessly underneath it. The dark haired man's eyes widened in alarm as Shizuo approached and he whipped out his knife, hoping that it would give him somewhat of a way to defend himself.

"Well, well, well…" Shizuo smirked, squatting down so that he was eye-level with the louse. "Looks like I got you this time, Izaya-kun."

"Lucky shot," Izaya spat, trying to wriggle his way out from under the machine. He was having no luck so far due to most of his lower body being caught under the offending piece of metal. "So, Shizu-chan, are you going to try and kill me now?"

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," Shizuo smirked and took his sunglasses from his breast pocket, pushing them onto his face. "But for now, I'm satisfied with watching you squirm."

Izaya glared at him, the expression making Shizuo snicker. The informant pushed as hard as he could against the vending machine, trying to free his legs. He cursed his lack of muscular strength as he pushed and pushed, only managing to move an inch from under the machine.

"Shit…" he cursed as a sharp pain shot through his leg. Damn that protozoan! He had probably broken his ankle.

"Having fun?" Shizuo asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Fuck you."

The blonde chuckled and took a drag from the cigarette, making sure to exhale in Izaya's face.

"Don't do that!" the informant coughed, gagging on the smoke. "How can you stand those things? They're disgusting!"

"They help me relax," Shizuo shrugged. "I'll make sure to blame you for causing my stress when I get lung cancer."

"Ha, ha," Izaya snorted as he managed to move at least a couple more inches out from under the machine. Just a few more… "You're a horrible person, Shizu-chan."

"And you're any different?"

Izaya glared at the floor. "Touché." He paused as he managed to free his left thigh. "I'm going to kill you when I get out of here."

"I'd like to see you try."

"You know, Shizu-chan…" Izaya sighed as he freed his right thigh and knee. "You really are a monster." Shizuo paused, the cigarette almost to his lips. "I mean, really. You do things without thinking and you hurt people without meaning to. And it's all because you have a short fuse. Interesting, isn't it? Maybe you should get some anger management classes." He could see that his words were angering the blonde man, due to Shizuo's shaking frame. "Ne, Shizu-chan…" Izaya smirked, deciding to drive in the final nail. "How's your brother, Kasuka? He hasn't gotten into any trouble, has he? You know, the other day, there was a man asking me about Hanejima Yuuhei… I may have let a few things slip…"

Shizuo's reaction was faster than he expected. Before he knew it, Izaya was lifted out from under the vending machine and was held close to Shizuo's face, the blonde man holding him up by the collar of his shirt.

"If you do anything, _anything,_ that would bring harm to Kasuka…" Shizuo snarled. "I'll kill you with my bare hands."

"I know this, Shizu-chan," Izaya sighed, holding his hands up in surrender. "But… you do know you just freed me from your little trap, right?"

Shizuo paused and looked at the vending machine and then back to Izaya. Izaya held in his laughter; it was just so easy to manipulate the brute! However, he was snapped out of his mental victory dance when he felt Shizuo's fist tightening around the cloth of his shirt. Maybe it would have been smarter if he had made Shizuo release him first…

With a great roar, Shizuo flung the thin informant through the air and into a wall a few feet away. Izaya grunted in pain as his back slammed against the wall with a loud CRACK! Despite the great amount of pain shooting through his body, the informant managed to pick himself up and run off.

Shizuo snarled and ran after his nemesis, determined to catch the little bastard if was the last thing he would ever do.

"I-ZA-YAAAAAA!"

…

Shinra Kishitani only wanted a normal day, just for once in his life. Sure, normal was hard to accomplish when you lived with a headless woman but hey, you could dream right? So that was why the underground doctor was relaxing on his couch, drinking a cup of tea and reading an enjoyable novel.

That was until…

"Shinra!" a voice cried and there was a great amount of banging on Shinra's apartment door. "Are you here?"

Shinra nearly choked on his tea at the sudden arrival of Izaya, taken by surprise.

"I'm in the living room!" he called out, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Izaya staggered in, limping on his right foot and holding right arm which was dangling limply at his side. Despite his battered appearance, he still managed to wear his trademark smirk proudly. "Ohayo," he said to Shinra, taking a seat on the couch.

"Izaya-kun!" Shinra gasped. "What happened to you?" He paused. "Wait, let me guess… Shizuo?"

"Who else would be able to do this to me?" Izaya asked rhetorically.

"Point taken," Shinra sighed. "What happened this time?"

"He caught me off-guard and hit me with a vending machine," the informant shrugged. "And then he threw me into a wall."

Shinra sighed and shook his head. Those two would probably never learn. "Come on then," he sighed. "Let me take you to my lab and get you fixed up."

"Arigatou, Shinra," Izaya sighed, letting his friend help him up.

Shinra took Izaya's left arm and placed it around his shoulders, helping the informant limp to the small lab that Shinra had in his apartment. Once there, he had Izaya sit on a gurney and examined his ankle and arm.

"Your ankle's sprained," Shinra said. "For now, you should stay off of it. And as for your arm, there's a slight fracture but nothing too serious." The doctor grabbed some bandages and took off Izaya's shoe and sock, wrapping the injured body part up. "Let me clean some of those cuts you have too."

Izaya sat there like he was being pampered as Shinra cleaned him up and applied bandages to every cut he had. As Shinra applied the last bandage, the door to the apartment slammed and a low growl came from outside of the lab.

"Izaya-kuuuuuun…"

"Oh! It looks like Shizu-chan has found me!" Izaya chirped.

Shinra sighed, putting his face in his hands. He had to admit, when they had first started fighting, it was amusing. Now, it was just tiring.

"Hello, Shizuo," Shinra greeted as the blonde ripped the door open. "I heard you and Izaya got into another fight again…"

"I'm going to kill you…" Shizuo snarled, glaring at the informant.

"Oh, Shizu-chan!" Izaya gasped in mock dismay. "You're such a brute! Trying to beat up a defenseless and injured man! How could you?"

"I could show you how…" Shizuo snarled, reaching for Shinra's desk chair.

"Whoa! Wait!" Shinra said, putting himself between the two. "Let's not start this here, okay? Let's just all relax and maybe have a cup of tea. In fact, I'll put the kettle on right now!"

The doctor quickly rushed out, leaving the two men alone. Shizuo glared at the informant, his gaze returned by Izaya's cocky gaze. The only sound in the lab was the ticking of the clock on the wall. They waited for the other to say something, something that would set off their fighting again. There was only silence…

And then Izaya opened his mouth.

"Ne, Shizu-chan," the informant groaned, stretching his arms above his head. "You really are an idiot. Not to mention a monster." Shizuo did not answer him and remained silent, staring intently on the ground. "You seem to be looking for one thing. Love maybe?" Izaya's smirk widened. "How pathetic. How could anyone ever love you?"

"Shut up…" Shizuo muttered, trying to keep the informant from seeing that he had struck an unhealed wound.

"It's because you scare everyone away," Izaya smirked and his voice dropped to a low whisper. "It's because you're a _monster…_"

"Shut up!" Shizuo roared and gave in to his anger, throwing a fist at Izaya.

The informant hopped aside with a smirk, landing gracefully next to the blonde. However he had forgotten about his injuries, for he lost balance on his bad ankle and fell to the ground. Cursing, Izaya scrambled to his feet only to be slammed up against a wall. Bottles clattered from the desk nearby and broke upon meeting the floor, some fumes coming from the liquids seeping into the floor.

Shizuo pinned Izaya to the wall, gripping the other's jacket tightly. His eyes burned with anger and he wanted Izaya's blood on his hands… NOW. Izaya thought fast, however, and pulled his knife out, quickly slicing the blonde across the chest.

Unlike Izaya had planned, Shizuo did not let go of him. Instead, the look on his face became more murderous and his grip on Izaya tightened rather than loosened.

"The clothes…" the blonde muttered, rage creeping into his voice. "The clothes I got from Kasuka!"

He threw Izaya onto the floor, the informant's head making a satisfying thump as it collided with the floor. This made more bottles shake and fall, splattering liquid and glass all over the two. Shizuo ignored the chemicals burning his skin and wrapped his hands around Izaya's neck, intent on squeezing every last bit of air from the man's lungs.

For the first time in a long time, Izaya actually felt scared. Maybe he had actually pushed the envelope a little too far this time. Shizuo might actually kill him this time. The hands around his throat tightened and his red eyes bugged out of his head like a squeaky toy as he gasped for air. His thin fingers pried at Shizuo's larger ones as he gagged and coughed and struggled. He kicked out his legs and hit another cabinet, knocking down some more vials and bathing him and Shizuo in whatever Shinra kept in his weird-ass lab.

The vials breaking on Shizuo's head only made him angrier and his grip tightened to the point that Izaya thought he would snap his neck. The informant saw a message in those hazel eyes…

_Murder._

"Sh-Shizu-chan…" the informant rasped as he felt himself fading. "Don't… please…"

"Shizuo!"

Shizuo's hands left Izaya's throat as Shinra and Celty ran in. Izaya took this opportunity to scramble away from his assailant and leaned against the opposite wall, gasping for breath and coughing. Shizuo was taking deep breaths, his murderous look still on his face.

"What the hell were you two doing in here?" Shinra gasped as he saw the broken bottles. "Tell me in the living room. This room probably isn't safe anymore." He strapped on a gas mask and turned to Celty. "I'll clean this all up. You talk to those two."

Celty nodded and grabbed Shizuo's arm, pointing at the door. The blonde, who had just realized with horror what he had done, got up slowly and exited like a dog who knew he had done something wrong. The dullahan then went over to Izaya and lifted him up so he could balance on her shoulder so she could help him walk out.

Shizuo was already sitting on the couch, holding his head and shaking. He… he wanted so much to kill Izaya but he knew he could never do it. If he did, he would be at the same level as the damn informant… or worse. What he had just done, or what he had almost done, frightened him to no end. He looked up as Celty led Izaya in, the dullahan setting the weak informant on the couch.

'Okay,' Celty typed on her PDA. 'What happened in there?'

"Isn't it obvious?" Izaya snorted. "Shizuo tried to murder me."

Shizuo flinched. Izaya wasn't referring to him as Shizu-chan anymore.

'I bet you gave him good reason,' Celty typed again. If there was one thing she knew about Izaya, it was that he was an insensitive asshole. Therefore, she wouldn't be surprised if Shizuo had attacked the informant for saying something hurtful.

Izaya pouted and glared at Shizuo. True, he had given him good reason. "I was just teasing again…"

Celty shook her head (or lack thereof) and wondered if this was what elementary school teachers had to deal with. 'You know Shizuo can only take so much. You were probably skating on thin ice again.'

Shizuo looked at the ground, feeling slightly ashamed. True, it was partly (meaning mainly) Izaya's fault but it was too kind of Celty to stand up for the blonde. Shizuo had almost murdered Izaya in cold blood and he felt like he shouldn't be let off so easily.

Before anymore could be discussed, Shinra exited the lab, firmly closing the door behind him. He walked over to the group and flopped onto the couch with a sigh.

"That's going to be a lot of work…" he sighed and then looked at everyone else. "No one should go in there without breathing protection until I'm done cleaning. All of those chemicals mixed together could produce fumes that could cause just about anything." He frowned at Izaya and Shizuo. "How much did you get on you?"

"Well, seeing as Shizuo threw me into a giant puddle and then more broke on top of us… I would say quite a bit," Izaya said.

"I should warn you now, I haven't tested most of those," Shinra said with a serious expression. "There might be some highly unnatural and strange side-effects."

"Shinra, I will beat your face in if I get turned into a girl or somehow get pregnant," Izaya glared at the doctor. "Or both."

"It's just a warning," Shinra said. "I don't even know if the chemicals mixed together just canceled each other out. For all I know, nothing will happen. But I'm not sure about that so I'm warning you two that something might."

Shizuo frowned. "What should we do if something does happen?"

"Come here and let me know," Shinra said. "I'll try and test what's left of the chemicals to see how they interact and, if possible, make an antidote. For now, you two should just go home and get some rest."

"Sounds good to me," Izaya said, getting up and stretching. "I'm tired all of a sudden. Probably because of all the running around I did today." He headed for the door and waved, his smirk now on his face. "Ja nee!"

Shinra shook his head and got up. "Well, I have to continue cleaning up. I'll see you later, Shizuo."

The blonde on the couch sighed and hung his head. Celty suddenly felt concerned and typed a message on her PDA.

'Shizuo, are you okay?'

Shizuo shook his head. "I almost killed him. I almost murdered him. I was just so mad… I didn't know what I was doing…" He stared at his shaking hands. They held so much power… they were so destructive. Maybe Izaya was right… maybe he was a monster…

'Shizuo…' Celty began and erased the text, trying to figure out something else to say. She actually had no idea what to say. Besides, what could she say? "It's going to be okay?" It wouldn't work.

"I… I should go…" Shizuo sighed, pushing himself up from the couch. "I'll see you later Celty…"

The dullahan nodded and typed, 'Goodbye.'

The blonde left, closing the door softly behind him and began his long walk back home.

…

"Namie!" Izaya called out when he reached his apartment. Usually, he didn't feel so drained when he got back to Shinjuku. He just felt so tired all of a sudden. "Namie! Where are you?"

"I'm coming," Namie Yagiri snorted as she walked down the stairs of the loft. "What do you want now?"

"Cancel all appointments I've made for today," Izaya muttered as he flopped down on the couch. "I'm too tired to deal with anyone right now."

"As long as I get to leave early," Namie sighed, knowing full well that she would have the day off if Izaya was out of commission.

"Fine, fine…" the informant said, waving his hand lazily from the couch. "Just make sure no one disturbs me…"

"Whatever."

Izaya grabbed a pillow and buried his head in it, happy to be stationary and stretched across a soft surface. Content, the informant drifted off to sleep in no time and Namie had to resist scribbling on his face with a sharpie.

…

"Shizuo, I think you should go home for the day," Tom sighed, noticing that his bodyguard was nodding off again.

"Eh? Wha…?" Shizuo mumbled, his mind foggy and tired.

"You look like you haven't gotten any sleep," Tom said with a frown. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Tom," Shizuo protested, pushing his sunglasses up and stifling a yawn. "Just… fine…"

Before he knew what was happening, Shizuo felt his knees buckle and he collapsed, falling to the ground with little grace.

"Shizuo!" Tom gasped, rolling his friend over to see if he was okay. After examining the blonde, Tom decided that Shizuo was just exhausted and needed some rest.

So the debt collector called it a day and dragged Shizuo back to his apartment, laying the blonde in bed. Tom gently set Shizuo's shoes and sunglasses aside and turned to leave.

"Rest up," he said to Shizuo's sleeping form. "I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Tom left the apartment before seeing the blonde roll over in his sleep, a look of discomfort on the man's face. The expression was gone fast and was slowly replaced by a content smile.

Little did Ikebukuro know that the next morning, the city would be in for a surprise.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shizuo woke up the next morning feeling… strange. His pillow was now clutched in his hands and his bed felt harder than usual. He opened his eyes slowly and shielded them against the sunlight. He sat up and realized that he had been sleeping on a couch. Now he was confused. He didn't recall falling asleep on the couch. In truth, he didn't recall falling asleep at all. He remembered collapsing and decided that Tom had taken him back home.

But if Tom had taken him back to his apartment, why would he place him on the couch? Tom was a very caring person and would make sure he could do whatever he could for a friend in need.

Shizuo shook his head and looked around. Wait a second… This wasn't his apartment! In fact, he had no idea where he was! He shot into a sitting position and groaned when pain shot through his body. He was in… pain? He didn't sustain injuries from the day before from what he remembered but his back was aching and his neck was sore.

He pushed himself up off of the couch, trying to stand on his feet. He held back a curse as pain shot through his ankle. He didn't remember doing anything to his ankle…

As he reached down to examine the pained part of his body, he noticed that something was different about his hand. It looked thinner and paler than he remembered. There was also a silver ring on his index finger and a ring of fur around his wrist that connected to his sleeve. Okay, those things were _definitely _new.

He shakily moved his hand to get a better look at it. He recognized that hand; he usually had seen it wrapped around a switchblade. Shizuo swallowed hard and suddenly felt the urge to throw up. He looked around the room, trying to find a bathroom or some place that had a mirror. He needed a mirror, he had to see his face and make sure that this wasn't all some messed up dream.

Shizuo stumbled around the room, limping on his now twisted ankle as he poked his head into smaller rooms. Luckily, he found the bathroom soon enough and limped inside, looking up into the glass surface of the bathroom mirror.

His heart almost stopped.

Or rather, Izaya's heart almost stopped because Shizuo was no longer in his own body. He was now in the body of his worst enemy, Izaya Orihara.

…

Namie Yagiri sighed to herself as she unlocked the door to Izaya's apartment. She really didn't like to do this, going back to that scumbag day after day just to be his damned secretary. But what other choice did she have? The Yagiri Pharmacy had gone belly-up and was absorbed by Nebula, leaving Namie nowhere else to go. And besides, the bills wouldn't pay themselves.

However, it would not stop her from complaining about Izaya having her make him his meals everyday…

Balancing the groceries expertly in one arm, she opened the door and entered the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind her. As she set the bags down on the coffee table, a horrible scream came from the bathroom and Izaya stumbled out, looking like he had seen a ghost.

The dark-haired woman blinked at him and then went back to the groceries. If the informant was finally going insane, then fine. She didn't care… as long as it got her out of that place…

As she began to take things to the kitchen, the informant's voice stopped her.

"Excuse me," Izaya asked, looking slightly confused. "Who are you?"

"I'm Namie Yagiri, your secretary," Namie sighed. "Did you bump your head and get amnesia? If you did, I'm not taking care of you."

Shizuo, in Izaya's body, winced. It didn't seem like Izaya and Namie got along well… but then again, who would get along with Izaya?

"Sorry…" he sighed, trying to keep from acting too suspicious. "Uhm… Since you're my secretary, can I ask you to do me a favor?"

Namie sighed. Now she knew something was wrong with him… He was asking _politely_! "Since you asked so nicely, even though it normally wouldn't make a difference, I will. I would have to anyways. What is it _this _time?"

Shizuo thought fast. He knew enough about Izaya to know that he probably had a busy schedule and Shizuo wasn't willing to talk to any yakuza bosses today. "Cancel any appointments I've made for the day. I need to go to Ikebukuro to visit a friend." He had to get to Ikebukuro and find Shinra _immediately. _Hopefully, the doctor would be able to fix this or maybe even Celty.

"Don't tell me you're going to mess with that Heiwajima guy again," Namie groaned. "I'm not in the mood to patch you up today…"

"Not this time," Shizuo sighed and then looked at the woman. "And I'm giving you the day off." Hey, he might as well give the woman a break. After all, she worked for _Izaya _of all people.

Namie blinked at him. Okay, now she was entirely convinced that Izaya had gone insane. "Thanks…" she muttered, not really knowing how to react. "I'll cancel all appointments and be on my way."

"Thank you!" Shizuo gasped, grasping her shoulders. "You're a life-saver!"

Namie watched, shocked, as her insane boss ran off. Something was definitely wrong with the man… Shrugging it off, she went to Izaya's computer to change his schedule today and picked up the groceries before leaving. It was time to make herself a nice meal…

…

Shizuo cursed as he stumbled out of the elevator. His ankle was still aching and he limped all the way to the front door of the apartment complex. As he walked outside and breathed in the morning air of Shinjuku, many questions were running through his mind. How on earth did this happen? This had to be some sick, twisted dream that he was having. At any moment, he would wake up and be Shizuo again. But as he went through Shinjuku, he began to think that it was all very real.

As he approached the bus stop, he decided that if any of this was Shinra's fault, the doctor would be getting his face beaten in.

Shizuo flopped onto the bench and suddenly remembered that Tom might be waiting for him to work today. Grumbling under his breath, he searched desperately around for a phone on Izaya's person. Reaching into his pants pocket, he fished out Izaya's cell phone and began to dial Tom's number.

After a few rings, Tom's voice came over the line. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Tom, it's me," Shizuo paused after speaking and cursed to himself. He even _sounded _like the flea! He cleared his throat and tried to make his new voice sound more like, well, him. "It's Shizuo. I… I can't come to work today… I'm… sick."

"You sure sound like it," Tom replied. "What's wrong?"

Shizuo shook his head and placed his right hand on his forehead. What was he going to tell Tom? "I just woke up this morning not feeling like myself…"

"You did seem kind of out of it yesterday," the debt collector noted. "I'll give you the day off. Just rest up and call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks Tom," Shizuo sighed. "See you later…"

"Ja nee," Tom replied before hanging up, leaving Shizuo to his thoughts.

_Yes_, he decided. _When I get to Ikebukuro, Shinra is a dead man…_

…

Shinra walked out of his lab, stretching his arms out and removing the gas mask from his face. He was finally done cleaning up the mess that Izaya and Shizuo had made the day before. Much to his delight, neither of the two men had shown up yet so the doctor took it as a sign that nothing had gone wrong at all.

Once again, the doctor had the apartment to himself seeing as Celty was out looking for her head again. He had nothing better to do so Shinra decided that he might as well relax for the rest of the day. As he sat down on the couch with a cup of tea, someone started to bang on the door.

"Dammit Shinra!" the voice on the other side yelled. "You'd better open this fucking door right now or I will rip it off of its hinges!"

Shinra sighed and got up to answer the door, feeling a bit of déjà vu coming on. On the other side of the door was Izaya, his expression lacking its usual smirk. The corners of his mouth were turned down into a tight and irritated frown while his eyes were glaring daggers at the doctor standing in front of him.

"Oh, Izaya…" Shinra said, looking the man up and down. No extra limbs, no tail, and he sure as hell didn't have boobs… "Why are you here?"

"You should already know why I'm here, Shinra," Izaya snorted, pushing past the doctor. "Let's talk about this inside…"

Shinra followed the informant, thoroughly confused. "B-but… You look fine…"

"Yeah, I _look _fine," Izaya snapped. "Inside, however, is a different story." His face turned from serious to worried as he sat on the couch. "Shinra, I'm not…"

Another knock sounded at the door, this time softer in nature. Shinra turned his head towards the door and held a finger up to silence the informant.

"Hold that thought," he said and ran off to answer the door.

Izaya, or should we say Shizuo, sighed in frustration and slumped in his seat, staring down at the ground. Stupid Shinra; why couldn't he just listen for once? He ran his hands through his now black hair and shook his head. What the hell was he going to do about this?

"Ah! I'm surprised to see you!" Shinra's voice floated down from the hallway. "Why did you come here, Shizuo?"

Shizuo snapped his head up upon hearing his name. _What? _Shinra walked back into the room, a familiar person following him. Standing right behind Shinra was Shizuo… or at least someone that looked like him.

"Izaya, Shizuo's here," Shinra said. "Please don't try to kill each other this time."

Shizuo glared at his doppelganger. "I can't make any promises…"

The doppelganger smirked at him and sat down next to him, adopting a relaxed position. "It's alright, Shinra," the imposter said casually with a familiar tone. "I'm sure Izaya will be able to control himself."

Shizuo shot a glare at the imposter. Shinra cast a confused glance between the two. They seemed like entirely two different people compared to the Izaya and Shizuo he knew.

"Uhm… Do you two want anything to drink…?" he asked awkwardly, trying to relieve the tension.

"I'm fine," Shizuo snapped, keeping his eyes locked on his doppelganger.

"Just water please," the doppelganger said with a mischievous grin.

As Shinra turned to the small kitchen to get the fake Shizuo his water, the imposter looked at Shizuo, flashing him a particularly evil smirk. It took all the mental control Shizuo had not to clock the imposter right then and there.

"Here's your water, Shizuo-kun," Shinra smiled, handing the doppelganger the glass of water. "So, Izaya, what did you need to talk to me about?"

Shizuo threw another glare at the imposter. "Shinra, what I'm about to tell you may seem unbelievable, especially since _this_-" he pointed at the doppelganger. "-thing is sitting next to me. You see, I'm really not…"

Once again, Shizuo was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Shinra sprung to his feet, his eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Celty!" the doctor cried out, running towards the dullahan. "You're home! I missed you so much!"

'I missed you too,' Celty responded via PDA. She looked over at the other two on the couch. 'Shizuo and Izaya are here?'

"Ohayo, Celty-san~" the doppelganger grinned raising a hand in greeting.

"Morning…" Shizuo grunted under his breath, looking at Celty briefly before glaring at the imposter again.

Celty glanced briefly between the two, looking concerned as a headless woman could be. She tugged at Shinra's sleeve and typed a message on her PDA.

'Can I talk to you for a second?'

"Sure," Shinra said, looking slightly confused. He turned to the two men sitting on the couch. "Please don't have a replay of yesterday. I would very much prefer my living room to stay intact."

"Don't worry, Shinra," the fake Shizuo smiled, waving the two off. "I'm sure we'll be able to behave."

The couple left, walking into the office and closing the sliding glass door behind them. Shizuo glared at the doppelganger sitting next to him on the couch who turned to him with that annoying smirk on his face.

"Who the hell are you?" Shizuo growled.

"Couldn't you tell?" the doppelganger asked playfully. "Blonde hair… Bartender uniform… I'm Shizuo Heiwajima."

"That's a load of bullshit," Shizuo snorted. "You can't be Shizuo Heiwajima because _I'm _Shizuo Heiwajima! So who the hell are you?"

The imposter cocked his head to the side and adopted a smug expression, crossing his arms over his chest. "Interesting that you say that, considering that you definitely don't look like who you claim to be. And as for who I am? Why, I'm injured that you can't even tell! Wouldn't it seem obvious…" He paused and his lips curled into an evil grin, his eyes gleaming with mischievous delight. "…Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo's eyes widened and his blood started to boil. The _flea _was in his body. He growled and grabbed Izaya's collar, pulling him close. "What the hell are you doing in my body, flea? Get out now!"

"Trust me, Shizu-chan," Izaya, in Shizuo's body of course, sighed. "I would if I could. I don't wish to live my life wearing your horrid face but I don't really have control over that, now do I?"

Shizuo let go of his enemy's collar, turning around in his seat to face away from Izaya. "How the hell did this even happen?"

"How should I know?" Izaya sniffed and then looked at the man sitting next to him, noticing how much their heights differed now. "Ne~!" he giggled, placing a hand on Shizuo's head. "Shizu-chan's so short!"

A feral growl rumbled from Shizuo's throat as he clenched his fists. If the situation was different and Izaya wasn't in his body, Shizuo would have beaten him to the ground by now. "Don't touch me."

"Oh~?" Izaya narrowed his eyes, his now hazel orbs glimmering in excitement. "Have I made Shizu-chan angry? Would you mind if I did this?" He prodded Shizuo's temple with his finger, repeating the action several times.

"Stop it."

"I wonder how far I can go until Shizu-chan explodes," Izaya said in an impish tone as he continue. "I would love to see what you would try to do to me in this state." He continued poking Shizuo until he became disappointed that the test wasn't really showing any results. He stopped and then placed his hand close to the bodyguard's temple, giving the area a nice, firm flick.

"That's… _it_!" Shizuo growled, whipping around and throwing himself at the informant.

…

Meanwhile, Celty was in the process of quickly typing out a message to Shinra on her PDA. She was slightly shaken after seeing Shizuo and Izaya acting the way they were and needed to make it know to Shinra now.

'That person out there isn't Shizuo…' she typed shakily.

"Eh?" Shinra looked confused. "Are you sure?"

'Look at him, Shinra!' Celty commanded, twisting Shinra's head so that he could look at the two men sitting on the couch. 'He's not acting the way Shizuo would normally act.'

Shinra watched Shizuo closely, noting his expressions and movements. Celty was right, he wasn't acting like normal. When he spoke, his expressions became conceited of nature and his lips were always twisted into a smirk. The difference was also in his posture. He was sitting up straight, crossing one leg over the other. Shizuo normally kept his legs uncrossed when sitting and he usually slouched forward a bit.

"You're right, Celty…" Shinra muttered thoughtfully. "But why do you think that he's an entirely different person?"

'I can sense it,' Celty responded. 'He's giving off an entirely different aura. So is Izaya.'

"Izaya?" Shinra frowned and looked back at the men. Izaya was now holding Shizuo by the collar, yelling angrily at the blonde man. "He does seem… angrier than usual…"

'There's just something going on,' Celty said. 'I can't put my finger on it but something's wrong here.'

"It's like their personalities switched…" Shinra paused, looking thoughtful. "You… you don't think that it has something to do with yesterday, do you?"

'I don't know,' the dullahan responded. 'But I wouldn't be surprised.'

Suddenly, there was a loud yell from the living room and they both turned to see Izaya leaping for Shizuo's throat.

"Not again!" Shinra groaned and ran out of the room, Celty close behind.

Thinking quick, Celty flung her arm out and thick black shadows snaked out of her sleeve. The shadows shot out and wrapped around the body of the informant, lifting him into the air.

Shizuo cursed as Celty lifted him up. He realized upon seeing Izaya's smug face that the damn flea was waiting for that moment all along.

"What is the matter with you two?" Shinra asked. "You two are going at it more than usual."

"Shinra, if I recall yesterday correctly, you told us to come by if something happened," Izaya brushing his new blonde bangs out of his eyes. "It's not my fault that the protozoan feels like he has to act violently."

The doctor blinked at Izaya, still thinking that he was Shizuo. "…Huh?"

"I'm going to kill you, you louse!" Shizuo snarled and began to kick his legs around. "Celty, put me down so I can strangle this bastard!"

Shinra, who was now thoroughly confused, looked between the two and ran a hand through his hair. "I won't even bother asking any more questions… Just tell me what's going on."

"I'm in the protozoan's body and he's in my beautiful body," Izaya said with a sharp nod. "That, Shinra, is what's going on."

There was a pause and Shinra looked slowly between the two. "…Come again?"

"We switched places," Shizuo snorted. "I don't know how but the biggest slimeball on the face of the planet is waltzing around in my body."

"This was caused from yesterday," Shinra sighed, the sentence being more of a statement than a question.

"Exactly," the switched men answered in unison.

"That… that doesn't even seem possible!" the doctor exclaimed. "Now, I would guess that something like what happened yesterday would cause dramatic physical changes but this is on a completely different level!"

"What about magic?" Izaya inquired.

"No." Shinra said, for once looking genuinely disgusted. "I refuse to believe in something so far-fetched as magic."

Shizuo glanced at Celty, one eyebrow raised, and then turned back to Shinra. "So you don't believe in magic, yet your girlfriend is an Irish spirit with no head?"

"That's besides the point," Shinra sighed. "However, the important thing right now is focusing on how to get you two back to normal."

"Please," the two answered, Shizuo grinding the answer out through clenched teeth and Izaya saying the word in a serious monotone.

"I can't stand being in this body," Izaya sniffed as Celty put Shizuo down. "It's _horrible_. I'm so _ugly!_"

"Trust me, it's an improvement," Shizuo shot back. "I have to put up with being a creep until Shinra fixes this." He looked at his friend, a little bit of concern shown on his face. "You _will _be able to fix this, right Shinra?"

The brunette suddenly looked nervous and scratched his cheek nervously. "Well… You see, Shizuo, I really don't know much about the situation. I don't even know most of the names of the chemicals in the lab and I sure as hell don't know what the majority of them do. So it might take time and…"

"What do you mean it might take time?" Izaya asked, his playful demeanor gone and replaced with a wicked glower. "Shinra, you don't understand do you? I have a very important job to deal with and I certainly can't walk around claiming that I'm… well, myself while I'm like _this_." He gestured at his body. "So I'm afraid this'll have to go pretty fast."

"Now Izaya…" Shinra stuttered, backing away slowly. He was sure to be wary of the informant when he was angry, especially now that he had Shizuo's body and, most likely, his strength. "Please listen to reason. I'll need to look at the remains of the lab and see if I can pinpoint exactly what made those chemicals react. For now, however, I have no idea what's going on. I'm as much in the dark as you are. So… um… I'll just need time… right, Shizuo?" He looked hopefully at his friend.

"Actually, Shinra… I agree with Izaya for once…" Shizuo admitted. "We have lives and jobs to get back to. In this state, I don't see how we could do that."

"Speaking of, I forgot to call Tom-san for you," Izaya said casually. "Gomen ne~"

"Thanks," Shizuo snorted sarcastically. "Luckily, I thought to call him and I was civil enough to cancel all of your meetings with yakuza bosses for today."

"Oh. Thanks," Izaya said, blowing the statement off. "Anyways, Shinra… We need to be switched back NOW."

Celty then leaned over towards her confused and pressured boyfriend, holding out her PDA for him to read.

'I think I know of someone who would be able to help,' the text read.

"Really?" Shinra asked, looking elated. "Who?" Celty typed in the name and he wrinkled his nose upon reading it. "Oh. _Her._"

"Who?" Izaya asked, looking curious.

"You'll see when we get there…" Shinra sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in dismay. "Let's just leave now before you two try to kill each other for the third time…"

"Hai!" Izaya chuckled, shooting a playful smirk and doing a mock salute in Shinra's direction.

As Shinra and Celty walked towards the door, Izaya sprung off the couch gracefully and did a twirl to place himself in front of Shizuo. The other man, who was still very irritated by the fact that he was in Izaya's body and this wasn't all an elaborate dream, glared at him and clenched his fists. Izaya had to hold back a chuckle. It was so entertaining to see Shizu-chan try to hold his temper!

"Please try to act like a normal person on the way there," Shizuo snorted as he pushed past Izaya. "It's bad enough that you have to smile like that all the time… You're making my face look creepy."

"I'll try, Shizu-chan!" the informant chuckled as he followed the other man. "But I can't promise anything! Oh and try not to mar my beautiful face with that ugly scowl of yours. It's most unbecoming."

Shizuo ignored him which only made the informant frown. Darn, he was even trying so hard to light that short fuse of Shizuo's! It was always disappointing when Izaya didn't get the reactions he wanted from people. Nevertheless, he shrugged it off as a devilish smile stretched across his face. There would be plenty of time to annoy Shizu-chan on the trip through Ikebukuro…


	3. Chapter 3

**So this chapter introduces an OC of mine that I've been working on for a while. I wanted to make her just right so she wouldn't become Mary Sue-ish and this story is the best opportunity to introduce her and for me to write her. I hope you all like this next chapter!**

Chapter 3

Shinra stood outside of the door of an apartment, looking a tad uncomfortable. He was very unnerved not because of the fact that Izaya had once again decided to test Shizuo's limits. He was not unnerved because of when Shizuo finally exploded and tried to throw a park bench at Izaya. It was not even because of Shizuo spraining his wrist when he realized that in Izaya's body, he could not throw around heavy objects like he used to. And it was definitely not because of Izaya laughing at the poor man and demonstrating his gain of strength by lifting the same park bench over his head.

No, Shinra Kishitani was not unnerved by any of those things. What he was unnerved by, however, was the fact that he was standing outside of the apartment of a person he couldn't help but disagree with.

'Are you okay?' Celty asked him, feeling concerned.

"Yeah… I'm fine…" Shinra sighed, pushing up his glasses. "I… just don't really want to be here right now…"

'You don't like her?' the dullahan asked.

"No, she's fine," the doctor sighed. "I just don't agree with her most of the time…"

"Aren't you going to knock on the door already?" Izaya asked impatiently from stairwell. "I don't want to be standing out here forever…"

"I will, I will…" Shinra sighed and put his hand to the door. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" He knocked on the door, flinching a bit as he did so.

"Coming!" a voice called out from inside, attracting Shizuo's attention.

"Is that who I think it is?" he asked.

"Yes… It is…" Shinra sighed. "You two wait out here. I don't want you fighting in her small apartment and I doubt she would be pleased." He then pointed to Izaya. "That goes mainly for you."

Izaya pointed to himself innocently as if to ask, "Huh? Little old me? Cause trouble? No way!"

Shinra shook his head and turned back to the door as it opened, revealing a girl of only nineteen years of age. Her hair was long and brown, loosely braided and hanging over her left shoulder. She wore glasses in front of her chocolate colored eyes and a black beret was seated on her head, tilted towards the right. Her clothes all consisted of dark colors including a black cardigan, a pair of black jeans, a long-sleeved deep violet shirt, and a pair of black converse. Upon seeing Shinra and Celty, she smiled and bowed in greeting.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Shinra-san and Celty-san," she said. "O genki desu ka?"

'Genki desu,' Celty replied.

"We're fine," Shinra told the girl. "We need your help with something. Can we step inside for second?"

"Of course," the girl smiled and held the door open for the two. "Would you like me to get you anything? Water maybe?"

"No thank you," Shinra said as he and Celty took a seat on the girl's couch.

"So what do you need my help with?" the girl asked, taking a seat on the armchair across from them.

"Arashi, you know how much Izaya and Shizuo like to fight each other right?" the doctor asked.

"Who doesn't?" Arashi Tsujimura, as she was called, said with a small chuckle. "What did they do this time?"

"They decided to try and kill each other in my lab," Shinra sighed. "And I bet you can guess the consequences…"

"They're not girls now, are they?" Arashi asked, slightly amused.

"No, it wasn't a physical change…"

Arashi looked confused for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I think you'll know when we bring them in," Shinra sighed and walked over to the door, sticking his head out. "Izaya, Shizuo! You two can come in now."

The two of them walked into the room, Shizuo throwing a glare at the informant strutting around in his body. Of all of the people to trade bodies with, it just _had_ to be the flea…

Out of nowhere, Arashi pointed a finger at Shizuo and said, "That's Shizuo." She then pointed at Izaya. "And that's the scumbag."

Izaya feigned injury. "Oh, Tsuji-chan… How could you be so cruel?"

'How did you know who they were?' Celty asked.

"Simple, really," Arashi said. "Shizuo's aura is usually a deep red and Izaya's is more of a deep pink. Even in different bodies, their auras remain the same."

"Okay…?" Shinra said, somewhat confused by aura talk.

"It's quite interesting, really," Arashi said with a nod. "But I'll have to leave that for another time." She looked Shizuo and Izaya up and down. "So you two have switched bodies, huh?"

"Yes, it's… very uncomfortable…" Shizuo said, his anger fading.

"Ah…" Arashi muttered and turned to Shinra. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Well, actually… Celty wanted us to come here…" Shinra said, not meeting the girl's eyes. "She thought that… um… Celty, you explain."

Celty would have rolled her eyes if she had any and took out her PDA, typing out a message.

'I'm thinking that it could be undone through magic,' the dullahan told the girl. 'Would you be able to do that?'

"Possibly," Arashi replied. "But I would need time to find the spell that would have caused this and then find the counter-curse for that spell."

"How long would that take?" Shizuo asked.

"Look at all of the bookshelves I have in here," the young girl said, gesturing to very tall and very wide bookshelves standing up in the room. "It will take a while. Now I know you have a life to get back to but this is going to have to take time. For now, you and the slimeball are going to have cope."

Shizuo sighed and shook his head. "Fine…" he growled and then looked up at her. "I'm only acting like this because you're the one breaking the news to me…"

"I understand," Arashi said with a smile, knowing that was his way of showing gratitude. She and Shizuo had known each other ever since the girl had moved to Ikebukuro when she was eighteen. He had helped her get along in the city so that she could survive and earn enough money to make a living. They had kept contact ever since.

Arashi then turned to Shinra. "May I ask what exactly you had in your lab? Like the kinds of chemicals and things like that."

"I… I actually don't know…" the doctor said awkwardly. "I never got to test them…"

"Do you remember any of the ingredients?"

"Not for all of them but I remember that some of them were like herbal remedies and kind of obscure," Shinra said, trying to recall what he had probably long forgotten. "If I remember right, some of the ingredients were very herbal based. One for example contained ground thyme, I believe."

Arashi smiled, her face suddenly looking quite smug. "If that's the case, then congratulations. You most likely made magic."

"Wh-what?" Shinra gasped, completely flabbergasted. "But that's impossible! It was just a bunch of vials of stuff! How could that possibly create a spell?"

"Not all magic requires an incantation," Arashi explained. "It could have easily been some sort of potion. But that doesn't matter at the moment. What does matter is trying to figure out how to get these two back in their rightful bodies."

"Agreed." Izaya and Shizuo said in unison, shooting glares at each other shortly after.

'So you'll be able to help?' Celty asked.

"Of course," Arashi smiled. "But as I said before, I'll just need time. I'll start looking for spells today and I'll get back to you all when I find something."

'Thank you,' Celty typed and accented the text with a sharp nod of her helmet.

Arashi smiled as they rose to leave, Shizuo coming over to her.

"Thanks for doing this," he muttered. "I don't know what else I would have done…"

"No problem," Arashi said. "And besides, Shizuo, you helped me. I think I should try and help you for once."

With a small smile, Shizuo bowed his head respectfully and Arashi glared at Izaya, who was trying to sneak out of the apartment.

"You, slimeball," the girl snorted. "If you do anything to cause harm to him…" she pointed at Shizuo. "I'll have your head."

Izaya turned to look at her, his usual smirk coming to his face. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Tsuji-chan. Ja nee."

"Don't let him get to you much," Arashi said to Shizuo. "The best thing to do now is to keep a level head and keep a low profile for a few days."

"Once again, thanks," Shizuo said, giving the girl a genuine smile before leaving the apartment.

Arashi smiled at the door after it closed and then turned to the mass of books in her apartment. She took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves, and dived in. Besides, all those spell books wouldn't read themselves!

…

The small party of four made their way back through the streets of Ikebukuro, Izaya and Shizuo silently fuming. They barely looked at each other as they walked back from Arashi's apartment, aside from the occasional glare they would shoot at each other.

"Are you two okay back there?" Shinra asked, turning a head to look back at them. "Usually, there would be vending machines flying through the air by now…"

The two of them then fixed their glares onto the doctor, sending shivers up the poor man's spine.

"Do you have to ask?" Shizuo snarled, his eyes filled with rage.

Shinra cringed and moved closer to Celty. Yes, Shizuo scared him sometimes but never to this extent. It must have been how Shizuo's enraged expression looked with Izaya's face and, most importantly, his blood-red eyes.

"It's not going to be for too long!" Shinra assured the two. "Arashi just needs to find something that would fix it. After that, you can go on with your normal, everyday lives. Just stay calm for now and be patient. I bet the days will just fly by and before you know it, you'll both be back to normal!"

"I'll try to take your word on it," Shizuo snorted, shoving his hands into his pockets. "But I won't be happy about it."

"I'm still as disgusted as ever," Izaya sniffed, looking away from Shizuo.

Shinra sighed heavily and shook his head in dismay. Celty quickly typed a message on her PDA and showed it to him.

'You tried.'

"Thanks, Celty…" the doctor sighed.

"Ah! Shinra! Celty! Good afternoon!" a deep, heavily accented voice greeted.

"Oh! Simon!" Shinra said, looking up at the tall Russian man. "Hello! How's business going?"

"Business is good!" Simon smiled and handed a flyer to Shinra. "Come inside and eat? It's good!"

"That sounds great, Simon, but we're actually in a bit of a hurry," Shinra sighed. "Maybe some other time."

"Ah, too bad," Simon sighed. "The sushi is good today!" He looked over and spotted the two grumpy men in the back. "Ah! Izaya! Shizuo! I see you're not fighting today! Good! Fighting is bad!"

"Hi, Simon…" Shizuo snorted.

"Konnichi wa, Simon-san," Izaya greeted, flashing a bright smile at the Russian man.

Their actions seemed to catch the sushi chef off-guard for the dark-skinned man had a puzzled expression on his face. Celty shook her head in dismay and typed another message onto her PDA, this time showing it to the pair behind them.

'In-character.'

The two men blinked at the text and then looked at each other, both of their brains trying to figure out how to act like each other. Shizuo frowned and thought of how to act like a slimy bastard, trying to figure out how the flea managed to create that devious smirk of his.

"Morning, Simon," Shizuo greeted again, this time forcing a smirk onto his lips and speaking in smooth tones. "Shizu-chan and I have decided to take it easy for today… that is if he behaves well enough." After speaking, Shizuo tried to keep shuddering. _Damn, I just want to punch myself now…_

"Whatever, flea," Izaya snorted, imitating Shizuo's best scowls. "Forgive me for acting so sour all the time. I just have a pole rammed up my ass, that's all." Shizuo shot a warning glare at the informant. If Izaya screwed things up for him, the little bastard would die, Shizuo's body or not.

But luckily, Simon didn't catch the snide comment and nodded at the two, a broad smile on his face. "Well now that you two are getting along, you should come have sushi! Sushi is good!"

"Sorry, Simon," Shizuo said, trying to imitate Izaya's smooth (and annoying) drawl. "We're also quite busy today. Some other time, maybe?" He felt like giving himself a pat on the back; maybe Kasuka wasn't the only one who had acting talent.

"Yes, yes," Simon smiled. "Some other time." The group moved away and he waved at them as they left. "Have a nice day and remember, no fighting!"

"I'll keep that in mind, Simon!" Izaya called back, waving his arm in the air with a bit too much cheerfulness.

"Give it a rest, will you?" Shizuo hissed to the informant. "Stop making me look like a freak…"

"You mean more of a freak than usual?" Izaya chuckled, his mouth twisting into a smirk.

A low growl rumbled deep in Shizuo's throat and Shinra shot them a warning glance.

"Please don't start this again," he said. "We're trying to keep a low profile, remember?"

"Sorry, Shinra…" Shizuo grumbled, glaring at the ground. "But you know as well as I do that he's starting it!"

"I don't care," the doctor sighed. "I just don't want to hear another word from you until we get back home!"

"Ne, Shizu-chan's in trouble~" Izaya giggled.

"The same goes for you, Orihara-kun," Shinra sighed. "Sorry."

Izaya snorted and pulled his lips into a small pout. Shizuo rolled his eyes at this and shook his head.

"Why do I feel like I'm back in elementary school…?"

"Well, this will be it for now," Shinra said, turning back to the other two. "You two should just go home for now. If you need anything, feel free to call."

"Finally…" Shizuo grumbling, departing from the group and stalking off towards his apartment.

"Where do you think you're going?" Izaya asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Home," Shizuo snorted, turning back to the informant with a glare. "You got a problem with that?"

"Oh, not at all," Izaya said innocently. "But don't you think it would be strange to see Izaya Orihara going into Shizuo Heiwajima's apartment? And then imagine what people would think when they learned Orihara living there. Wouldn't it raise some suspicion?"

Shizuo glared at the informant. "And?"

"You're wearing my face, protozoan," Izaya reminded the other man. "You can't act like you while you're me, got it? So instead of going back to you apartment, you have to go back to _my _apartment."

Shizuo wrinkled his nose in distaste. "No way in hell."

"Oh, then do you want people finding out about this mess?" Izaya challenged, his bronze eyes shining in victory. He knew that his logic would beat Shizuo's arguments into to the ground. "I bet that will boost your pride…"

With a growl, Shizuo turned sharply away from the others. "Fine. I'll stay in your apartment… but I won't like it!"

Izaya smirked and started off towards Shizuo's apartment. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Shizu-chan…"

As the two men walked off, Celty shook her head in dismay as she and Shinra walked to where her bike had mysteriously appeared, as if it had a mind of its own. The dullahan hoped that Arashi would be able to find a solution fast because if she didn't, Ikebukuro might find itself being turned inside-out.

**So Arashi Tsujimura is my OC. She is a street-artist and also believes and practices magic. She can see auras and owns thousands of spell books. I'll explain the reason why she and Shinra don't really see eye-to-eye in the next chapter. =) One last thing on auras: a deep red aura, which Shizuo has, is associated with people who are realistic and very strong-willed. A dark, murky pink aura, the one that Izaya has, indicates that a person is immature and/or has a dishonest nature (at this description, only Iza came to mind). I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**

**~White Crow10  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Whew! I finally popped this chapter out! I'm sorry for a taking a long time with this because school's become a bear. . Once I had enough time to work on this chapter, however, it became reeaaaally long and was 18 pages on a word document. But I am glad that I finally got it done! More Arashi-OCness in here. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review!**

Chapter 4

Izaya walked slowly around Shizuo's small apartment, surveying every inch of the place. It was too small for his tastes and definitely reflected the bodyguard's financial position. Izaya dragged a finger along the coffee table and clicked his tongue irritably at the coating of dust that was now on his skin. The place was dirty too… Izaya snorted as he flopped down on the couch. It just wouldn't do!

The man got up from the couch and walked into Shizuo's bedroom, hitting his head on the doorframe. Cursing to himself, Izaya decided that it would take a while to get used to being so tall. He sat on the bed and looked out the window. How in the world was he supposed to act like the person he hated the most for God knows how long?

Izaya made a dismayed sounding groan and flopped back on the small Western-style bed. For once in his life, he couldn't think of a clever plan. He ran his hands through his newly-acquired blonde hair as he thought. What to do, what to do, what to do?

He rolled his head over to look to the right, meeting his own gaze in Shizuo's mirrored closet doors. Izaya sneered at his reflection; why on earth did he have to look like that brute? He rose from the bed and knelt in front of the mirrors, wrinkling his nose at the face in front of him.

"Why good afternoon, Shizu-chan," he smirked at the reflection. "Do you know how much I _hate _you? I can't even use words to describe it! That's how much I hate you." He grabbed at his throat. "I hate your voice too. I hate speaking in your voice. It _disgusts _me." He touched his cheek, running his fingers down his skin. "I hate wearing your face too. I look in the mirror and all I can think of is how much I hate you, Shizu-chan. But that's okay…" he smirked at the reflection. "Because I know you hate me too." He turned his head away from the reflection and looked at a small desk sitting in the corner, a computer perched on the wooden surface. He turned back to the reflection with a smirk. "Oh, so Shizu-chan can afford a computer? I never would have guessed… but it works for me." He waved at his reflection. "Ja nee, Shizu-chan~"

Izaya walked over to the computer and sat in front of the machine, sitting like he normally would. He then frowned and backed away from the computer, noticing that with Shizuo's long limbs he wouldn't be able to be as close to the thing without feeling uncomfortable.

_Oh well… _the informant thought to himself. _I'll just have to adapt._

He turned on the computer and waited for it to start up, impatiently tapping his finger on the desk. To his relief the computer started up and he immediately opened up the internet browser. Once he accessed the internet, he went straight to a familiar chat site and typed in his user name.

Hey, just because he was in Shizuo's body didn't mean he still couldn't spread rumors about the bodyguard over the internet…

_Kanra-san: Konnichi wa~~~! Is anyone here?_

_ -Tanaka Tarou-san has joined the chat-_

_ Tanaka Tarou-san: Hello, Kanra-san. How are you?_

_ Kanra-san: Good, good. =3 _

_ -Setton-san has joined the chat-_

_ -Byakula-san has joined the chat-_

_ Kanra-san: We have company~!_

_ Setton-san: Hello. _

_ Byakula-san: Hello!_

_ Kanra-san: Ne, did any of you see Shizuo Heiwajima today?_

_ Byakula-san: Come to think of it, no. Why?_

_ Kanra-san: He's been acting strange lately. It's just been too quiet in Ikebukuro… and it might be quiet for a while…_

_ Tanaka Tarou-san: Eh?_

_ Byakula-san: Why do you think that is?_

_ Kanra-san: Dunno~ Maybe he's gotten sick. Or maybe he's been seeing a lover~~~~_

_ Byakula-san: Eh?_

_ Tanaka Tarou-san: ?_

_ Setton-san: N-nani?_

Izaya smirked. Now he had everyone confused! He clapped his hands in excitement. Oh, this was just too much fun!

_-Umi-san has joined the chat-_

Izaya's face fell. Shit.

_Umi-san: Hello everyone! What's this about Shizuo Heiwajima?_

Stupid Arashi…

_Kanra-san: Umi-chan~~! A pleasure to see you!_

Suddenly, the private chat window was pulled up and Izaya frowned. Dammit. Why did Arashi have to spoil all of his fun?

_Umi-san: I thought I told you to not cause trouble…_

_ Kanra-san: I'm not~ Just spreading a few rumors, that's all…_

_ Umi-san: I'm sure. But the last time you spread rumors, you caused a gang war._

_ Kanra-san: Oopsies~_

_ Umi-san: I mean it, Izaya. Not another bad word about Shizuo._

_ Kanra-san: You spoil everything, Tsuji-chan~_

_ Umi-san: Leave the chat room now. Find something constructive to do other than ruining people's lives._

_ Kanra-san: Fine~ I had better things to do anyways!_

Izaya closed the private chat window and typed in one last post.

_Kanra-san: Something just came up. Sadly, I have to leave you all! Ja nee~_

_ Tanaka Tarou-san: Bye._

_ Setton-san: Ja nee._

_ Umi-san: Ja nee._

_ Byakula-san: Sayonara, bastard._

_ Kanra-san: You wound me~_

_ -Kanra-san has left the chat-_

Izaya sighed and leaned back in his chair. _Now _what was he supposed to do? He looked down as his stomach grumbled and frowned. Now he had to _feed _the protozoan's body? This was becoming too much to deal with.

Letting out a sigh, Izaya rose from the desk chair and stalked over to the fridge, pulling the door open. He looked inside and frowned. Nothing to his liking in there. He looked around, going through cabinets and coming up with only cups of instant ramen and instant noodle bowls. Izaya snorted and slammed the cabinet doors shut.

"All I want is some ootoro," he grumbled. "Is that too much to ask?"

He quickly thought about what he had been told to do so far; don't cause trouble, keep a low profile, etc, etc. Looking thoughtful, Izaya slowly inched towards the apartment door.

"I'm not going to be causing trouble," he said to himself as he inched closer and closer to the door. "And I'm just going out for something to eat, that's all…" He smiled to himself as he finally exited the apartment. He wasn't disobeying any orders and truly, wouldn't he be in more trouble if he decided to eat nothing at all?

With this logic put into place, Izaya quickly made his way to Russia Sushi to grab some succulent ootoro.

…

If there was one time Shizuo wished he hadn't brutally injured the damn flea, it was now. The one thing he missed about his own body was that he usually never felt pain and if he did, it wasn't that big of a deal. In Izaya's body, everything was more painful. The man who walked all the way to Shinra's apartment after getting shot twice could barely limp around on Izaya's sprained ankle.

"Dammit…" he growled to himself as he finally reached the bus stop. "Dammit, dammit, dammit…"

He stewed silently on the bus stop bench, his attitude repelling anyone who came near. Once the bus came, he limped on board and was relieved to find a soft seat to relax in on the way to Shinjuku. As the bus continued to move on, he rested his forehead against the cool glass of the window. He caught a glimpse of his reflection and set his lips into a scowl. He hated looking in the mirror and seeing Izaya's face staring back at him.

"Damn flea…" Shizuo growled. Somehow, someway, this was all Izaya's fault. If that damn flea didn't make him so violent, then they wouldn't be in this mess!

A while later, the bus stopped and Shizuo pushed himself up off the seat, limping his way back to Izaya's apartment building. Once he entered the complex, he went straight to the elevator, glad to get a break from constantly limping around. As the elevator went up, he pressed his back against the wall and slid down, enjoying the feeling of the cold metal wall on his aching back.

Shizuo groaned when the elevator doors slid open and he reluctantly rose from the floor, staggering to the door of Izaya's apartment. Once he reached the door, he had to dig through his pockets to see if Izaya's key was anywhere on him. After searching through the flea's furred jacket, he produced the key from the right pocket and unlocked the door, walking into Orihara's sizable apartment room.

As he entered the room, his stomach began to demand tribute. Shizuo frowned down at that part of his body. Had it really been that long since he had eaten last? Then again, he was too busy panicking over being in Izaya's body to focus on food so he had skipped breakfast. With a sigh, Shizuo made his way over to the small kitchen in Izaya's apartment and started scrounging around for something to eat.

"You would think the scumbag would have more food," Shizuo growled after his search came up dry. "He makes enough money to afford it…"

Shizuo snorted and leaned against the kitchen counter, feeling something in his back pocket being pressed against him. He moved away from the counter and slipped his hand into his back pocket, withdrawing a wallet.

Eating out didn't sound too bad and he bet Izaya wouldn't mind missing a few yen…

…

"This is a mess…" Shinra groaned as he and Celty walked back into their apartment. "This week is going to be a living nightmare if they aren't switched back soon."

'Arashi is going to fix it,' the dullahan assured him. 'We don't have much to worry about.'

Shinra made a distasteful grunt and flopped into his desk chair, the headless woman sitting beside him.

'Why don't you like Arashi?' Celty asked, switching to her laptop.

"What do you mean?"

'You don't seem to like hearing about her,' Celty said. 'Do you two not like each other?'

"No, it's not like that," Shinra sighed, shaking his head. "We get along. I just don't agree with her, that's all."

'What do you not agree on?' the dullahan asked and then suddenly, something made sense. 'Is it about magic?'

"It's not like I don't believe in magic," Shinra sighed, rubbing his temples. "Obviously, you're all the proof I need. The problem is that I don't believe in _her _kind of magic. She operates more on mumbo jumbo and voodoo and auras and other unbelievable stuff like that. There's no logic to those things. I prefer something that makes more sense."

'I see,' Celty said. 'So that's why you two disagree?'

The doctor nodded. "I'm glad she's helping though. At this moment, it's better than nothing."

'Agreed,' Celty said. She too wished that Arashi would be quick on finding a solution. The thought of Izaya walking around with Shizuo's strength was actually quite frightening.

_"Daiamondo da ne~ ah (ah)~ Ikutsuka no bamen…"_

Shinra smiled sheepishly and pulled out his cell phone, ending the ringtone. "Moshi-moshi."

"Hello Shinra," Arashi's voice answered. "You might want to put me on speaker."

The doctor complied, switching to speaker. "Done. What is it?"

"I found the counter-curse," Arashi said and immediately, the couple in the apartment were in high spirits.

"Really?" Shinra asked. "That's great!"

There was a pause.

"Arashi?"

"Um… About that…" the girl answered nervously. "There's one problem with the counter-curse…"

"What is it?" the doctor asked. "What's wrong with it?"

"Get Shizuo and Izaya and stop by my place," Arashi instructed. "I'll explain everything there."

"Okay," Shinra said. "See you later." He hung up and frowned at Celty. "Well, I guess we'd better find those two…"

Celty nodded and left for the entrance of their apartment, heading for her motorbike. Shinra followed closely behind, hoping that the news Arashi had wouldn't cause any more trouble than needed.

…

"Man, today was so boring!" Masaomi groaned, slumping against the booth he and his friends were sitting at in Russia Sushi. "We didn't get to see them at all today!"

"See who?" Anri asked, slightly confused.

"Shizuo-san and Izaya-san," Mikado clarified. "They usually get into a fight every morning on our way to school but today, they didn't show up."

"It was horrible!" Masaomi cried. "As a teenager, I need entertainment before resigning myself to the dank, dark, boring halls of school!"

"I wonder if Shizuo-san is sick…" Mikado said thoughtfully, ignoring Masaomi's hissy fit.

"The Fortissimo of Ikebukuro get sick?" Masaomi scoffed. "I doubt it. That man's just about unstoppable. If anyone got sick, it would have to be Izaya." He lifted his glass of green tea to his lips muttering, "I hope that bastard got the flu or something…"

Mikado frowned. "But even if he did get sick, he wouldn't stop coming around. Izaya-san's just that kind of person."

"True, true…" the blonde sighed, picking up a piece of yellowtail nigiri and popping it into his mouth. "It's still strange though… He seemed well enough to get on the chat room."

"I guess we'll never know…" Mikado sighed, pushing aside the chef's choice for today: fried chicken sushi.

Masaomi pouted as he pulled apart a piece of mackerel nigiri, eating the rice and fish separate. Someone walking into the restaurant caught his eye and the blonde sprang up, grabbing Mikado's arm and pointing towards the person excitedly.

"Look who it is!" he exclaimed. "I told you he wasn't sick! I told you!"

Mikado blinked, watching as Shizuo Heiwajima walked in and took a seat at the bar. "I see…"

However, as you know, that person was truly Izaya Orihara, still trapped within Shizuo's body. Unaware of the attention he was getting, he sat down on a stool and was greeted by Simon almost immediately.

"Ah, Shizuo!" the large black Russian said. "Nice of you to come here tonight. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Simon," Izaya smiled, forgetting all about acting like the bodyguard. "How's business been?"

"As good as ever," the sushi chef smiled. "People come in, they sit down, and eat. After they are done eating, they pay for it and leave." He stopped and gave a broad smile to the man sitting at the bar. "That reminds me, what shall I get for you?"

"Just some ootoro," Izaya said with a nod. "I've been going through withdrawals as of late."

Simon rose an eyebrow, confused by how the man was acting but relayed the order. "One order of ootoro!" He went off to fetch a glass of green tea, handing it to Izaya. "Say, Shizuo, are you feeling alright? You didn't hit your head while fighting with Izaya, right? Fighting is so bad… You shouldn't do it."

"I assure you, I'm fine," Izaya smiled, taking a sip of the tea. "I just need some nice, fatty tuna, that's all."

"Ah, I see… I see," Simon nodded and began to walk away. "I just thought it was strange that you didn't order the sweet shrimp. Izaya usually orders the tuna…"

Izaya spluttered, choking on his sip of tea. He looked up cautiously at the large Russian man, trying to figure out just what Simon meant by that. Could it be that he knew something was going on?

"Probably coincidence," Simon shrugged and Izaya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Enjoy your meal, Shizuo!"

Izaya continued to drink his tea as Simon walked away to attend to other customers. That was a close one. As he took another sip, there was the sound of someone entering and the entire restaurant fell silent. Wondering just what was going on, Izaya turned around to see a familiar face behind him.

_Oh no… _he thought, meeting the red eyes of the person who had walked in. _Shizu-chan, why must you have bad timing?_

Indeed, the person standing in front of him was Shizuo, staring back at him in surprise. Everyone in the restaurant was silent, watching the two of them carefully as they tried to decide what would be better: hiding under the tables or just leaving the restaurant entirely. Izaya weighed his options, as he knew Shizuo was doing as well; he could make a scene, as usual, and pick at the other man's nerves until he exploded or he could keep a low profile liked asked and act like Shizuo was just the average person.

What fun was that? Seeing Shizuo wasn't any fun if Izaya didn't get to play a game even if the protozoan was in Izaya's wonderful and lovely body.

Before Izaya could open his mouth to deliver a biting and witty remark, Shizuo nodded at him in acknowledgement and took a seat next to him. The room remained silent as onlookers stared at the two, waiting for tables to start flying and all hell to break loose. But the angry roar from the former bartender never came and neither did the jeers of the informant. There was only silence.

Izaya pouted as Shizuo ordered some eel sashimi. What had happened to their little game? Simon came back with Izaya's order of tuna and set it down as he greeted Shizuo, thinking that the man was Izaya. The sushi chef left and Izaya popped a piece of ootoro into his mouth, watching Shizuo like a wolf would watch a sickly deer.

"What was that?" he asked in a playful tone.

"What do you mean 'what was that,' you bastard?" Shizuo snorted back, not making eye contact.

"You were so calm," Izaya smirked. "That's unusual of you, Shizu-ch…"

Shizuo cut Izaya off by slapping his hand across the informant's mouth. "Shut up! We're supposed to be keeping this under wraps, remember?"

"Oops~" Izaya chuckled under Shizuo's fingers. "Must have slipped my mind…"

"Tch…" Shizuo removed his hand from Izaya's mouth, staring down at the counter like he could melt the wooden surface with a gaze. "You're so careless…"

"I wouldn't say that…" Izaya chuckled, leaning forward and putting his hands under his chin to support his head. "I just like making things interesting."

Shizuo shook his head and took another sip of his tea, trying as hard as he could to ignore the flea sitting next to him. Izaya snickered; resistance was futile. Shizuo would cave eventually and their little game could start back up again. Only a couple more minutes…

Time passed and Shizuo's order came, the bodyguard thanking Simon before eating. Izaya frowned. Wait just one minute! That wasn't how it was supposed to work at all! For once, Shizuo was _ignoring _him.

Well, this just wouldn't do.

The informant wiped the frown off of his face and took another piece of toro, popping it into his mouth. Chewing and swallowing, he turned back to his enemy with a playful smirk on his face.

"Ne, it's been five minutes," he chuckled. "A new record!"

"The hell do you mean?" Shizuo snorted, not meeting the other's eyes.

"You haven't been able to be in a room with me for two minutes without trying to kill me. We've been sitting here for a good five minutes or so," Izaya explained and placed a congratulating hand on Shizuo's shoulder. "Omedetou~!"

"Don't touch me," Shizuo grunted, grapping Izaya's wrist roughly as he tried to pry it off his shoulder.

"Ah, you forget I have your strength now!" the informant teased, keeping his hand attached to Shizuo's shoulder. "I could hold on forever if I wanted."

Shizuo glared at Izaya, crimson meeting hazel. Izaya wore a determined smirk as they locked eyes, succeeding in pissing off Shizuo further.

"Stop making faces like that," the bodyguard scoffed. "You're making me look like a creep."

"Maybe that's the point," Izaya chuckled and looked around the restaurant, spotting the expectant faces of customers that were waiting for either one of the two men to start a fight. "Everyone's watching us, you know. We could really give them a show…"

"Hell no," Shizuo said, trying to turn away from the informant. "We were told to stay out of trouble and that's what I'm trying to do."

"Aw, come on, Shizu-chan…" Izaya whispered, holding Shizuo in place. "I'll just throw a barstool at you and you can run out the door like I usually do. Easy-peesy."

"No," Shizuo snorted and tried turning away again. "I won't do it. It's stupid."

Izaya frowned and pulled the other man back to face him, putting more pressure on the other's injured shoulder than intended. Shizuo let out a pained yelp as he was turned around and glared up murderously at Izaya.

"The fuck was that, flea?" he snapped, the words coming out louder than he meant them to.

By now, everyone was staring at the two and it seemed like everyone expected the two to start trying to kill each other. A few customers threw money on the table and left, treasuring their lives. The rest just stared, not really knowing what to expect next.

"I'll take it that we need a barstool," Izaya said, sliding off his seat and reaching down to pull it up from the floor.

"Don't you dare!" Shizuo snapped, jumping up to try and stop him.

"What'cha gonna do about it?" Izaya challenged childishly, sticking his tongue out at Shizuo. "You can't really kick my ass when you're in my body."

"Shut up about that!" Shizuo snarled. "We're supposed to be keeping a low profile!"

"But that's no fun."

"I don't give a damn!" Shizuo snapped, grabbing Izaya by his collar. "And stop smirking at me, dammit! It makes me want to pound you into the dirt!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Izaya said innocently, continuing to smirk at the other man.

"Damn you…!" Shizuo snarled and pulled back a fist. Just before he was able to throw a single punch, his phone started to ring. He paused, confused, and let go of the irritating man in front of him in order to answer the phone. "Hello?"

"Ah, Shizuo! This is Shizuo, right?" Shinra's voice asked from the other line.

"Yes, this is me," Shizuo sighed.

"Of course!" Shinra chuckled sheepishly. "Silly me… You're supposed to sound different, in Izaya's body and all. I don't know how I could have forgotten…"

"What did you call me for?" Shizuo asked.

"Huh? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that…"

"Why did you call me?" the bodyguard repeated, trying hard not to lose his temper.

"Oh yes! Right, sorry about that," Shinra responded. "Arashi just called Celty and I. She wants you and Izaya to meet us at her apartment."

"She's found a solution?" Shizuo asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

"What? What is it?" Izaya questioned, hovering near his enemy.

"She didn't specify anything over the phone," Shinra said. "But I would say so. Have you seen Izaya at all after this afternoon?"

Shizuo glared over at the informant. "Do I have to answer that question at all?"

"…He's with you now, isn't he?"

"Unfortunately," Shizuo snorted.

"Please tell me you two didn't fight," the doctor sighed.

"No, we didn't," the bodyguard sighed. "It was just a chance encounter."

"Fine," Shinra sighed. "Just meet us at Arashi's apartment as soon as possible… and please, don't cause any trouble on the way there."

"Got it," Shizuo said and snapped the phone closed, turning to an expectant Izaya.

"And that was…?" the informant asked.

"Shinra," Shizuo said and suddenly grabbed Izaya's wrist, dragging him out of the restaurant quickly. "Come on!"

"Wait, what are you doing?" Izaya gasped as he stumbled along.

"We have to meet them as soon as possible," Shizuo explained. "I intend to waste no time at all."

"But…" Izaya looked back reluctantly at Russia Sushi as they ran away from it, thinking about the tuna he had left behind. Who would be there to eat such wonderful food, to not let it go to waste?

"Come on!" Shizuo growled, pulling on Izaya's arm. "Don't let me work with dead weight when I'm as strong as you!"

"Fine!" Izaya sighed, running along with the other man. "As long as getting there faster gets you out of my body faster…"

As the two ran off into the distance, one of the customers in Russia Sushi turned to her fellow otaku friend.

"Yumacchi!" Erika Karisawa gasped, pointing at the retreating figures. "I told you that they were secret lovers! They are now returning to their secret love nest to engage in actions that the outside world should never know of!"

"I… I don't think that's the case…" Walker sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"We seriously need to consider therapy for you, Karisawa…" Kyohei sighed as he continued to eat from his bowl of soba noodles.

Erika ignored the man seated around her, watching as Izaya and Shizuo's figures disappeared completely from sight.

…

"Shit!" Shizuo cursed as his ankle buckled underneath him. He was in such a hurry that he had forgotten about the injured parts of his body, namely his bad ankle.

"Now what's wrong, Shizu-cha-ack!" Izaya gasped as he went down with the former bartender, landing awkwardly on top of his worst enemy.

"Get. OFF." Shizuo snarled, glaring up at the informant who was currently straddling his waist.

"Oopsies~" Izaya giggled as he got to his feet. "Someone's clumsy today."

"It's this damn ankle," Shizuo snorted, rubbing the injured body part. "Leave it up for your body to try and kill me as well."

"Just so you know, Shizu-chan, it's your fault that it's sprained in the first place," Izaya sniffed. "If you hadn't thrown that vending machine at me yesterday…"

"Oh shut up!" Shizuo snapped, shakily getting to his feet and starting to limp along. "I can walk just fine even with your stupid body…" After saying that, he stumbled and almost fell to the hard asphalt when Izaya caught him from behind.

"Oh, that's _very _believable…" Izaya smirked, holding Shizuo by his underarms. "I think Shizu-chan needs some help walking."

"I don't!" Shizuo protested. "I don't need help especially from you!" He tried to move forward again and had to catch himself from falling.

Izaya walked over to him, grabbing Shizuo's arm and throwing it over his shoulders. "Swallow your pride for once," he snorted as he grabbed the other's waist. "You look just pathetic stumbling along like that."

"Oh, like you would let me do the same?" Shizuo challenged as they walked along. "Something tells me that would bruise your inflated ego."

"Maybe so…" Izaya smirked. "But I know that if anyone were to help me, it wouldn't be you. You would leave me to die."

"No, I wouldn't!" Shizuo suddenly protested and Izaya shot him a surprised look. To be truthful, Shizuo himself was surprised by his answer. "I mean… well, I'm not horrible like that. I couldn't leave anyone to die… even if it was you."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or not," Izaya chuckled and Shizuo made a scoffing noise.

"Whatever…" the bodyguard snorted. "Just shut up until we get to Arashi's place. It'll make the trip much more pleasurable."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Izaya smirked and they continued on in silence.

In minutes, they were at Arashi's doorstep. Shizuo pulled away from Izaya when he got the chance, knocking on the door. The apartment door opened and Arashi's face peered out, her expression slightly skittish.

"Ah, Shizuo, Izaya," she smiled, trying to hide her nervousness. "You're here! Please, come in."

Shizuo nodded in thanks but looked at the girl suspiciously. Why was she so nervous? He limped in to see that Shinra and Celty were already there, the two of them sitting on one of the couches. As he limped over to take a seat, Izaya entered, throwing Arashi a look. She sneered back at him, obviously _thrilled _to see him again.

"Long time no see, Tsuji-chan," he snickered.

"Just sit your ass down before I decide to beat you down with my rice cooker."

Izaya only smiled in response before taking a seat a good ways away from Shizuo.

"So, Tsuji-chan…" he started. "What did you want us here for?"

"If you haven't guessed already, I've gotten more information on the spell cast on you two," the girl said, taking a seat as she grabbed a thick, old-looking book. She opened the leather bound book up to a bookmarked page, the pages browning with time. The title of the page read "The Transfer of Souls" and had a picture of two bodies, a red one and a blue one. Two strokes of color, each coming from their respective bodies, were criss-crossing each other in order to get to the body across from its original owner. "I've only been able to look at how to do the spell, what it does, and how to reverse it. We all know which one of those matters the most, right?"

"I would hope so…" Shizuo snorted, glaring over at the flea.

"'This spell is meant mainly for those who don't see eye to eye. It transfers their souls so that they can literally walk in each other's shoes until one understands the other. Note: this cannot work on people who already have a good relationship,'" Arashi read from the book.

'Therefore, it worked perfectly on Shizuo and Izaya,' Celty reasoned.

"Exactly," Arashi nodded. "This spell would never work on two people like you and Shinra. You two are too close for it to even work. It would be rendered void if anyone tried. But with these two…" her eyes slid over to Izaya and Shizuo. "It works perfectly."

"How do we reverse it?" Shizuo asked anxiously, willing to get out of Izaya's body as soon as possible.

Arashi frowned. "That's the kicker." She referred to the book again, running her finger along the text. "'The only way to undo this spell is if the two arguing parties are able to get along and understand each other. They must be able to eye-to-eye in order for their souls to switch back.'"

"I'm afraid I heard you wrong, Tsuji-chan," Izaya chuckled nervously from his seat. "I believe you just said that Shizu-chan and I have to work on being buddies."

"You didn't hear me wrong," Arashi sighed, closing the book. "That's the only way to lift the spell, I'm afraid."

"You've got to be joking!" Shizuo protested. "There is no way in the world that _thing_ and I will be able to get along!"

"Agreed," Izaya spat. "The day that Shizu-chan and I get along will be the day that hell freezes over."

"That's what the book says," Arashi sighed. "It's the only solution. If you want to get back to normal, I suggest you at least try it. As of now, it is your only option."

"Fine," Shizuo growled and rose from his seat, getting concerned glances from his three friends. "I'll be leaving now, off to Shinjuku I guess. Thanks, Arashi."

The girl nodded and pushed up her glasses, not looking at the man leaving the apartment. "I knew he wouldn't take it well…" she muttered.

"Hey, protozoan!" Izaya snapped and Shizuo turned around to face him, throwing him a scalding glare.

"The hell do you want?" he snorted.

"I'm coming with you," the informant said as-a-matter-of-factly, dusting off his bartender suit as he rose.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am," Izaya insisted. "Besides, we need to spend some quality time together, now don't we?" Shizuo glared at him and the informant came closer, a determined look on his face. "Face it, Shizu-chan, I'm in your body. Do you want me out?"

Shizuo snorted and turned away, walking out of the apartment immediately. Izaya rolled his eyes and exited as well, pursuing the limping man. He stood at the doorstep of Arashi's apartment, watching as Shizuo limped his way down the steps.

"Need help?" he asked.

"Not from you," Shizuo snapped, trying not to lose his footing.

"Just don't damage my perfect body anymore," Izaya sniffed as he watched the other. "I want it intact when we switch back."

"You mean 'if', dumbass…" the bodyguard snorted as he continued down the steps. In seconds, he lost his footing and went sliding down the stairs, landing on his side with a pained groan.

"What did I just tell you…?" Izaya sighed and rushed down the steps, squatting next to Shizuo. "Still don't need help?"

"Shut up…" Shizuo grunted, trying to push himself up off the ground. His arms gave out and he was rendered immobile once more. "Dammit, flea. Why does your body hurt so much?"

"I'm human, not a monster like you," Izaya remarked.

"Could have fooled me…"

Izaya sighed heavily and reached down, picking the other man up off of the ground. Shizuo gasped indignantly and began to squirm around when Izaya started to carry him bridal-style.

"Wh-what are you doing?" he squawked. "Put me down!"

"Look at you!" Izaya smirked instead of answering Shizuo's questions. "Shizu-chan looks cute when he's flustered~!"

Shizuo felt his face heat up at the comment and looked away. "I-idiot… You know, technically I'm _you_."

"Yes, yes, I know," Izaya said. "But I bet your face would look just adorable with that blush on it though."

Shizuo grunted and looked at the ground, ending his own protests. Izaya chuckled at his reaction. Playing with Shizu-chan was so much fun!

"You know, I'm only doing this so you keep my body intact," Izaya said with a smirk.

Shizuo glared at him. "I knew it, you asshole."

"I try," Izaya chuckled as he carried Shizuo through the streets of Ikebukuro.

For two people who said they would never be able to get along, they seemed to be pretty chatty. There were only harsh words and no violence between them the entire way to Shinjuku. Maybe, just maybe, they could stand a chance against that spell…

But, as Izaya said, hell would have to freeze over before they were able to get along.

And believe it or not, hell was becoming quite chilly that year…


	5. Chapter 5

**-flop- Gaaaahh! I can't believe I finished this when I did! School's been killing me! But I am proud of myself on this one! =D It's kinda filler but... I'm proud I actually got it done! -does a victory dance- Enjoy!**

Chapter 5

Shizuo awoke the next morning, finding himself in a similar position that he was in the morning before. He sat up on the black couch in Izaya's apartment and looked around, blinking his eyes several times to rid them of sleep. What had happened after Izaya took him back to Shinjuku? He couldn't really remember but he could vaguely remember the use of painkillers somewhere along the line…

Lifting himself off the couch, he noticed that he didn't hurt as much as he had the day before. Maybe he had taken painkillers after all…

But what had happened to the flea?

(Not that he cared, anyways…)

Wandering around the apartment, Shizuo noticed that the door to the bedroom was ajar. Still limping a bit, he moved over to peer inside of the room. He frowned at what he saw.

"Of course…"

Izaya was sprawled on the bed, snoring rather loudly. The sheets were gathered all around him, bunched in a cocoon around him. His feet, since they were attached to Shizuo's longer legs, stuck off of the edge of the bed a bit and one arm was touching the floor.

Shizuo rolled his eyes and walked inside, kneeling in front of the flea's sleeping form. Sleeping, Izaya looked so vulnerable and helpless… and maybe even a bit cute…

A loud snore came from the informant's mouth. Scratch that. Definitely not cute.

Reaching over slowly, Shizuo grabbed the pillow under Izaya's head and ripped it out from under him. The informant's head fell against that mattress and Shizuo brought the pillow down on Izaya's head, using all of his strength (which wasn't as much as usual).

The only reaction he got from the informant was a little grumble as the other rolled over on his side. Shizuo scowled and threw the pillow to the ground, reaching over to grab the blonde hair peeking out of the cocoon. He pulled hard on Izaya's hair repeatedly, not really succeeding that way either.

"Wake up, dammit!" he growled.

"Five more minutes…" Izaya muttered sleepily, rolling around again.

Shizuo glared at the sleeping man and walked over to the other side of the bed, hopping up onto the mattress. Using all of his flea-given muscle, he pushed Izaya's sleeping floor towards the edge of the bed.

"Am I actually this heavy?" he grunted to himself.

In seconds, Izaya rolled off of the edge and onto the floor with a yelp.

"Ow!" the informant yelped. "How the…?" He glared up at Shizuo, who was returning the gaze from atop the bed. "I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual, louse," Shizuo snorted. "Why the hell are you still here?"

"After I gave you the painkillers and you passed out on my couch, I decided that I should get some sleep too," Izaya said innocently. "So I did. What, is it some sort of crime to sleep in my own bed?"

"You left me on the fucking couch."

"Oh, so you wanted to sleep with me?" Izaya purred. "I never knew Shizu-chan swung that way~"

"That's not what I meant…" Shizuo snarled. "Why did you leave me on the couch and not go back to my apartment? That's what you're supposed to do, remember?"

"Oops~"

Shizuo continued to glare at the man.

"It's _my_ bed," Izaya sniffed. "I don't see why I can't sleep in _my _bed."

"Well, technically I'm you right now," Shizuo retorted. "Now shut up and get out of here."

"But I'm hungry…" Izaya whined. "Can't Shizu-chan get me some breakfast?"

"Can't you cook something yourself?" Shizuo snorted.

"Namie always does it for me~" the informant pouted. "I'm _lost _without her."

"Bullshit," Shizuo spat and jumped off of the bed, making sure to step on Izaya as he walked out. "I'm making breakfast for _me_. You might as well try to get some scraps while you're at it."

Izaya glared up at Shizuo, since the former bartender decided to step on his stomach, but remained on the floor, crossing his arms over his chest with a pout.

"At least Namie treats me better…" he grumbled sourly.

As expected, Shizuo ignored him and made his way to the kitchen, looking around in the fridge to find something decent to eat. Spying some eggs hiding in a corner, he grabbed four of them and placed them on the counter, grabbing a mixing bowl. He cracked the eggs open and dumped the insides into the bowl, stirring them until they were thoroughly beaten. Izaya slowly entered the kitchen, watching the other man curiously as he dug through the fridge.

"I didn't know Shizu-chan could cook…" he remarked with a smirk.

"Flea, do you have any dashi stock?" Shizuo asked, ignoring the comment and not even looking up from the fridge.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does," the bodyguard snorted. "Do you have any?"

"No."

"I'll just use water then…" Shizuo growled and put three tablespoons of water into the egg mixture. "Where's your sugar?"

"Always thinking about sweets," Izaya chuckled, leaning against the doorpost. "You're like a little kid. That's why I call you Shizu-chan."

"Where's the damn sugar?" Shizuo snapped, grabbing Izaya's collar.

"Cabinet on the right, top shelf," the informant responded calmly and the other unhanded him, grabbing the sugar. As the bodyguard mixed the sugar into the egg mixture, Izaya asked, "What are you making anyways?"

"Breakfast," Shizuo grunted. "Now get out of the damn kitchen, flea."

"It's not going to be really sweet is it?" Izaya asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "If there's too much sugar, it'll be disgusting."

"Who says any of it's for you?"

"Who says you'll let me starve?"

There was a pause and Izaya smirked, knowing he had won. Shizuo remained silent as he got out a square frying pan and scraped some of the mixture into it. He turned the stove on and cooked the egg mixture, folding it over once it was done cooking. Pushing it to the top of the pan with a spatula, he poured in the rest of the mixture and did the same thing, rolling it on top of the first rolled omelet. He let it sit in the pan for a while longer to cook and as it was cooking, he glared over at Izaya who was still waiting patiently in the doorway.

"You're still here," Shizuo grunted.

"That I am," Izaya smirked.

"Out." Shizuo commanded, raising his spatula threateningly. "NOW."

Izaya chuckled and twirled out of the room, plopping down on the couch. It was so much fun to mess with Shizu-chan, especially in the morning. In fact, he had never had an opportunity to do bug Shizuo so early. A smirk traveled onto his face; oh, he was going to have fun with this one…

"Oi, bastard!"

"Yes, Shizu-chan~?" Izaya chuckled and ran into the kitchen, answering to "bastard."

"Breakfast is ready," the bodyguard grunted, shoving a plate with a couple of rolled omelets on it into Izaya's hands.

"I thought you said you weren't going to feed me," Izaya smirked, looking down at Shizuo smugly.

"I didn't say that," Shizuo snorted.

"You implied it."

"Just eat the damn omelets before I change my mind!" Shizuo snapped before grabbing his own plate. "Ungrateful little louse…"

Izaya only smiled in response and took a seat at the small island counter in the middle. He picked up one of the omelets as Shizuo sat across from him, glaring daggers at the informant.

"I wonder if it's safe to eat…" Izaya mumbled.

"What the hell do you mean, flea?"

"You could have poisoned it for all I know," the informant sniffed. "I wouldn't put it beneath you."

"You're an idiot…" Shizuo snorted as he took a bite of his omelet using a pair of chopsticks. "How would it help me if I poisoned you? You're still in my body, which I need back by the way."

"Good point," the informant sighed, tossing the rolled omelet into his mouth. "Mmm… This is good… and I can't give it back, Shizu-chan. Tsuji-chan told us that we have to get along in order for the spell to break." He paused to swallow. "I can already tell you, though; it's not going to happen."

This got Shizuo's attention. "Why the hell not?"

"Face it, Shizu-chan, there's no way we'd be able to get along," Izaya sighed, resting his head on a propped up elbow. "We're like oil and water. We are doomed."

"I see you have a lot of faith," the bodyguard spat.

"What about you, Shizu-chan?" the informant challenged. "How much 'faith' do you have?"

"Plenty," Shizuo responded, glaring at the informant. "In fact, I have enough to insure that I _will _be getting my body back."

With a dry chuckle, Izaya broke their locked gazes and went back to his breakfast. "Humans are so interesting… even Shizu-chan…"

Shizuo snorted and turned his attention back to his breakfast, ignoring Izaya. The two remained silent as they finished their breakfast, each waiting for the other to speak. Izaya swallowed the last bit of omelet and rested his head on his hand, watching as Shizuo finished. The bodyguard ignored him at first but then the feeling of the flea's eyes upon gradually became unbearable.

"What do you want _now_?" he growled, glaring at the informant.

"Oh, nothing~" Izaya chuckled, stretching as he stood. "I'm just going to take a nice, warm shower now if you don't mind. You should get one too." He sniffed in Shizuo's general direction and pinched his nose. "You stink."

"Whatever…" the bodyguard snorted and picked up the plates to wash them. Then, only then, did his mind register what Izaya had said. "Wait… What did you say?"

"I said I was going to take a shower, Shizu-chan," the informant rolled his eyes. "Really, are you that slow?"

"No, I won't allow it," the bodyguard stomped over to the informant. "No, no, no!"

"Why not? It's my apartment, my shower…"

"You're in _my _body!" Shizuo growled and Izaya could picture steam coming out of his ears. "There is no way that _you_ are taking a shower in _my _body!"

"Oh, is someone a little self-conscious?" Izaya chuckled.

"N-no!" Shizuo protested. "It's just…! I-!"

"It's okay, Shizu-chan," Izaya said in a mock-soothing tone as he patted the shorter man on the head. "I promise I won't look at anything… much." He twirled out of the way as Shizuo aimed a punch at him.

"Fine!" Shizuo snapped. "Go take your damn shower! I won't have to see your face for a while!"

Izaya smiled a smile as sweet as vinegar and headed into the bedroom, entering the attached bathroom in seconds. Shizuo plopped on the couch and turned on the TV as the sounds of water turning on met his ears. Stupid flea… Stupid little louse… Of all the people to be stuck with, it had to be the flea. He glared at the TV, not even noticing that a soap opera was on.

Stupid flea… Stupid Izaya… damn him… Damn him! This was all his fault! Once they were back to normal, he was going to kill the little bastard.

He snorted and turned his head to the side, pressing his cheek firmly against the leather on the couch. Now that he thought about it, did they even have a chance at switching back? They had hated each other for years and now they were supposed to be friends? It made no sense at all. But they just _had _to switch back; they couldn't remain this way forever. Shizuo frowned and slid down on the couch, watching the TV with hollow eyes as the woman onscreen slapped her cheating lover.

Soap operas… Gross… He robotically reached over and grabbed the remote, turning the TV off. Letting his arm go limp, he pressed his face against the couch cushions with a groan. The sounds of the shower shutting off reached his ears but he didn't look up. Maybe, just maybe if he closed his eyes long enough and then opened them again, this might be all one big dream. He stayed in the same position until he heard the bedroom door close.

"Oh so are you trying to suffocate my body, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo looked up at Izaya, preparing a particularly venomous glare to shoot at the flea. "What the hell are you wearing, flea?"

"Oh?" Izaya asked, striking a pose as if he were a super-model. "This? Why, it's just what I wear every day. Why? Impressed? Do I look super sexy?"

"First off, never say that again," Shizuo said, looking thoroughly unamused. "And no, that's not what I meant. Why in the world are you wearing _that _on _my _body?"

Izaya blinked and looked over himself. He was only wearing his normal attire; black pants, tucked-in black long-sleeved shirt, and his usual fur lined coat. It had been a bother to get some of the clothing on; Shizuo's longer torso presented some problems for Izaya's smaller shirt but the fabric was able to stretch and it would work for now. The coat was also a bit too small, ending halfway down his ribcage.

"I don't see anything wrong with this."

"Why the hell not?"

"It's what I normally wear."

"But it's not what _I _normally wear," Shizuo snorted from the couch. "Do you seriously think that everyone will just ignore the fact that I would be wearing your clothes?"

Izaya thought this over and then shrugged. "I like to take chances."

"You little bastard!" Shizuo roared, grabbing Izaya by the collar. "Take it off! Take it all off right now!"

"Ooooh~! Shizu-chan~!" Izaya giggled. "So forceful~!"

Shizuo's grip loosened on the other's collar and his face turned bright red. "Th-that's not what I meant!"

"Sure~" Izaya smirked. "I know that you just want to get into my-"

Izaya's head suddenly met the back wall due to Shizuo slamming his fist into the informant's nose. Izaya slid to the ground, holding his nose gingerly as Shizuo towered over him.

"Get your ass out of here now," Shizuo snapped, his fists clenched. "Get out of here before I throw your own TV at you."

Izaya smirked up at the other but got to his feet, heading towards the door. He removed his hand from his nose and shoved both of his hands in his pockets, the smirk still on his face.

"Well, I guess this is where I take my leave," Izaya chuckled, gracefully turning about in a small circle as he approached the door. "Ta-ta, Shizu-chan!" He left the apartment with a flamboyant bow and shut the door gently behind him.

Shizuo sighed gratefully and sat on the couch once more, sinking into the cushions. But before he was able to fully relax, the door swung open and Izaya popped his head in.

"Oh, and Shizu-chan!" he exclaimed. "Since I'm 'borrowing' your body, I'll make sure to make you look like a complete fool today! Ja nee~!"

Shizuo whipped his head around just as Izaya left again. That… little bastard!

"IZAAAYAAAAA!"

Without thinking twice, he vaulted over the back of the couch and ripped the door open, following the retreating form of his arch-nemesis. The informant had just turned to the elevator and had pressed the down button when Shizuo rounded the corner, ready to beat the living shit out of him. Thinking fast, Izaya dodged the punch aimed at him and let Shizuo fly straight into the wall. The bodyguard recovered and whipped around, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Izaya chuckled to himself as the other man lunged at him again; this was turning into some version of a bullfight.

As Shizuo lunged at him again, Izaya heard the elevator ding and saw the doors slide open. He dodged Shizuo's fist and positioned himself in front of the elevator, waiting for the raging bull to follow. Follow he did.

Shizuo charged at him and as Izaya dodged, he grabbed the other man and threw him into the elevator. Izaya then grabbed the elevator doors and pulled them shut, smiling to himself as the bodyguard protested and pounded on the doors.

"Have a lovely trip down, Shizu-chan~!" Izaya chuckled and skipped towards the stairwell.

"You little bastard!" Shizuo yelled as the elevator went down. "I'll kill you for this!"

"Of course you will, Shizu-chan," Izaya chuckled as he hopped onto a railing and slid down. "Of course you will…"

**The spats... I love writing them arguing... It's so much fun! And the reciepe is for rolled omelet or tamagoyaki, a Japanese dish. I wrote out the instructions correctly (but a website or a cook book would be more accurate). Dashi stock is just about ALWAYS used in Japanese cooking but it can be easily replaced by water, I believe. I will make tamagoyaki one day... I swear! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back! I can't believe I wrote this one as fast as I did but here it is! =) It's a little short and more in the way of filler than the last one was but I think I did a good job. And I just love writing Izaya and Shizuo fighting. It's so much fun. ^^ Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

Chapter 6

Izaya skipped down the last few steps of the stairwell, humming a tune as he hopped into the lobby. Shoving his hands into his pockets once more, he made his way over to the apartment complex's door.

_Ding~_

Izaya turned around to see the elevator door slide open, revealing a fuming Shizuo inside. The bodyguard locked eyes on Izaya and a low growl rumbled in his throat. The informant smirked and inched closer towards the door, his eyes daring Shizuo to follow. He was ready for a chase to happen and he was going to enjoy every single second of it.

"I'm going to kill you, you bastard…" Shizuo growled, stepping out of the elevator.

"Only if you can catch me, Shizu-chan~!" Izaya chuckled and turned quickly on his heel, running out of the doors as fast as he possibly could.

Shizuo followed with a roar, charging down the street after his nemesis. Ignoring his bad ankle, the bodyguard chased the informant through the streets of Shinjuku. Ahead of him, Izaya took a sharp left and arrived at the bus stop just as the bus was pulling away. Shizuo swung his arm at him and Izaya jumped onto the bench, flipping backwards to grab the bus stop sign behind him. Balancing with only one hand, he vaulted himself onto the hood of the bus as it drove off, waving to Shizuo as the bodyguard chased after him.

"Goodbye, Shizu-chan~!" Izaya called out as Shizuo began to disappear into the distance. "I'll give your regards to Ikebukuro!"

All that the bodyguard could do was to curse heavily as he chased the bus. Eventually, running after the vehicle became too much for him and he had to slow down, soon coming to a complete stop. He then walked onto the sidewalk and began to look for the nearest taxi. He would get to Ikebukuro and pound Izaya's ass into the pavement, no matter what it took.

…

Izaya smiled to himself as he walked down the streets to Ikebukuro. Oh, it was so fun to play with Shizu-chan! Especially now, since the informant had more opportunities to piss the bodyguard off.

"I'm going to have so much fun," he chuckled to himself. "So much fun with Shizu-chan…"

"Oh, Shizuo, you must be feeling better…"

Izaya looked over to see Tom Tanaka walking up to him and instantly, his face fell. Oh shit…

"O-oh… Good morning, Tom-san…" he greeted awkwardly. _How in the world does Shizu-chan greet people he actually likes? _

Tom looked him up and down, a little off-put by what he saw. "Shizuo, what are you wearing?"

"Oh this?" Izaya chuckled, trying to act as Shizuo as much as he could. "I just felt like a change was in order."

"Right…" Tom nodded, still looking slightly confused. "Are you going to help me with work today?"

Izaya tried hard not to wrinkle his nose in distaste. Work? It wasn't like he disliked work; he _loved _his job, but Shizuo's job… He just couldn't imagine chasing down bums that couldn't repay debts and beating up every annoying asshole that wouldn't cough up money.

"Actually, Tom…" he said, fishing for a way out. "I… um… I'm still not feeling well… so maybe later?"

"Are you sure?" Tom asked with a frown. "If you don't show up again in a certain number of days, I might have to let you go. I know you don't want that, especially because of Kasuka…"

"I promise I'll come in soon," Izaya said, trying to inch away from the debt collector. "Maybe tomorrow… but right now, I… um… have to get back to my apartment and do things that I… uh… usually do…"

"Okay…" Tom raised an eyebrow in confusion but asked no further questions.

Just as Izaya was about to leave, a shout broke the air.

"You!"

The informant turned to see Shizuo behind him, the bodyguard's face twisted in rage. Izaya's expression faltered; crap. He didn't expect the other to catch up so fast…

"I'm going to kill you…" Shizuo growled through clenched teeth and Tom threw a confused glance between the two.

"Uhm… Shizuo…?" the debt collector asked, looking to Izaya. "What is going on? Aren't _you _usually picking fights with _him_?"

"No time to explain!" Izaya responded. "Ja nee!" He quickly turned on his heel and ran the other way as fast as he could.

Shizuo followed once more with a roar of rage, his eyes locked only on the retreating informant. The two ran through the streets of Ikebukuro, like they normally did, except for one key difference: it looked like Izaya was doing the chasing instead of the running. During their run, they passed by a young man drinking his morning cup of coffee. Upon seeing a scene that was equal to a cat chasing a dog, he dumped his coffee out onto the ground and vowed to drink tea instead.

"What's the matter with you, Shizu-chan?" Izaya called from over his shoulder. "You can't seem to keep up with me!"

"Maybe it's because of your stupid body!" Shizuo shot back. "If you hadn't decided to start something with me, your damn body wouldn't be like this and we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Mess?" Izaya stopped and turned to face Shizuo. "I wouldn't call it a mess…"

"Then what the hell would you call it?"

"An opportunity."

Shizuo glared at the smug informant, clenching his fists tightly at the thought of Izaya doing something to his reputation or to his body. "If you do anything at all…"

"Relax," Izaya sighed. "I wouldn't do anything to your precious little outer shell and ruining your reputation can only entertain me so much. And even if I did do something, how would you stop me? I have your strength now. I could knock your brains out with just a flick of my finger."

"I'd like to see you try," Shizuo growled, taking a step closer to Izaya.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Could be."

"Then please, go ahead," Izaya smirked.

With an enraged yell, Shizuo leapt at the informant, fist pulled back and at the ready. Izaya stood his ground, ready to catch or dodge the blow.

"Stop right now!"

Suddenly, someone was standing in front of Izaya, holding Shizuo's arm so that the punch was rendered useless. Shizuo blinked at the person, surprised at the sudden appearance.

"Arashi…?"

"What did I tell you two?" the girl sighed, releasing Shizuo's arm. "What part of 'keep a low profile' do you not understand?"

"Sorry…" Shizuo muttered, hanging his head.

Arashi nodded in understand and then turned her gaze on Izaya. The informant folded his arms across his chest and turned his head away from the both of them.

"He started it," he sniffed.

"For some reason, I seriously doubt that…" Arashi said, glaring at the man. "Go back to Shizuo's apartment and try not to cause any trouble."

"I can't make any promises~" Izaya said in a sing-song voice as he turned away. "But if you _must_ have it your way, fine. Ja nee~!"

As the informant ran off, Shizuo jerked forward, eager to follow. Arashi grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back.

"_You_," she said, pointing back the way they came. "You have to go back to Shinjuku."

"But-!"

"Shizuo, you'll have to cooperate with me in order to fix this," Arashi said. "Go back to Shinjuku and don't worry about Izaya. If he tries anything, I'll keep him in line."

"Okay…" Shizuo snorted and turned to leave, limping away.

Arashi sighed as the two walked off. It was going to be a very long week…

…

Izaya flung himself onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling with a bored expression. Arashi ruined his fun again… Why couldn't she just stay out of his business? He sighed and rolled over onto his side, pulling out Shizuo's cell phone as he did so. It was small and simple and the plastic casing was a gross orange color. Izaya frowned as he scanned through the bodyguard's phone; he already missed his Smartphone. This dinky thing was so out-dated!

With a groan, he threw the phone on the ground. Stupid thing, anyways. And besides, he liked smashing cell phones. He rolled over again, facing the back of the couch as he thought of a way to get out of his predicament. There just _had _to be a way to get around trying to make friends with Shizuo. Besides, it wasn't going to work anyways so he might as well try to find a better solution to their problem.

"Maybe if we asked Shinra…" he muttered to himself and then sat up. "No… That wouldn't work… He'd screw things up again and we might end up stuck as girls…" He stood up and began to pace around the room, solution after solution running through his head. "What about Celty? She probably knows a thing or two about magic… but she lost most of her memory after she lost her head. I could always give it back but then she'd be focused on killing me rather than helping me…"

He continued to pace around the apartment, each solution failing once it entered his mind.

"Dammit!" he grunted, plopping back down on the couch. "Is there nothing else that will work?"

_Brrrr… Brrr…_

Izaya glanced at the phone on the ground, watching as the orange object vibrated. He blinked at it and then moved towards it, picking it up and answering it.

"Hello?"

"_Ah… Nii-san…_" a quiet voice answered. "_I was afraid I wouldn't be able to reach you…_"

Izaya threw a surprised glance at the phone. Kasuka Heiwajima? Of all moments, why now?

"Oh… Hi… Kasuka…" he greeted nervously, trying to sound as much as Shizuo as possible. "H-how are you?"

"_I am fine._"

"That's good," Izaya gulped; why was acting like Shizuo so hard? "So… Why did you call?"

"_I'm going to be in town in a week,_" Kasuka replied. "_I just wanted to let you know that I'll be stopping by to see you._"

"Oh!" _Oh shit! _"Th-that's great!" _This is horrible! _"C-can't wait to see you!"

"_Are you okay, nii-san?_"

"Me?" Izaya chuckled nervously into the phone. "Just fine! Right as rain! Um… look, I have to go right now… I'll… uh… talk to you later! Bye!"

"_Shiz-_"

Izaya quickly hung up and sat on the couch, holding his head in his hands. Shizuo's brother would be coming in a week and judging by how things were going, they wouldn't be switching back anytime soon. Thinking fast, Izaya grabbed Shizuo's cell phone and began to dial a familiar number.

"Come on… come on…" he muttered to himself as the phone rang.

_"We're sorry. The line is busy. Please hang up and try ag-"_

"Dammit!" he growled, snapping the phone shut. "That protozoan had better get off my phone or there will be hell to pay."

…

_I feel like I've done this before… _Shizuo thought to himself as he pressed his forehead against the window of the bus.

Once again, he was on his way back to Shinjuku, back to the flea's expensive looking apartment. And that damn ankle of his was still hurting… It was like everything had started to unravel once he and the flea traded places.

_It's all his fault, it's all his fault, it's all his fault… _

"Stupid… louse…" he grunted and leaned back in the bus seat, watching the scenery pass by.

Something in his pocket started to vibrate, causing him to jump in his seat. He pulled the object out of his pocket, seeing that it was a sleek black Smartphone.

_Ooh… Shiny…_

Hesitantly, he pressed the answer button and put the phone up to his ear. "Hello…?"

"_IZAYA-NII!_"

Shizuo jerked the phone away from his ear, wincing at the sudden yell. He cautiously moved the phone back, readying himself for any further attacks on his eardrums.

"Who… who is this?"

There was a sudden silence and he thought whoever it was had hung up. "Hello?"

"_How could you?_" the loud voice came again and he had to put distance between his ear and the phone. "_Has it _really_ been that long? I thought you would remember us, Iza-nii!_"

"Wha…? Who…?"

"_Your sisters!_" the girl on the line yelled. "_Mairu and Kururi!_"

Oh yes… He remembered now. The callers were Izaya's younger twin sisters who, though not as much as their older brother, were quite a handful. Why were they calling now of all times? What could they possibly want?

"Sorry about that," he muttered into the phone. "Things have been confusing lately…"

"_You should be sorry!_" Mairu, the louder of the two, groused. "_You completely forgot about us! And to think we were calling just to let you know that we were coming to see you, our dear older brother!_"

"Wait… What did you say?"

"_Ne, Kururi-nee!_" Mairu called to her twin, ignoring Shizuo. "_Come say hi to Izaya-nii!_"

"Wait! Mairu!" Shizuo tried to catch the girl's attention but to no avail.

"_Nii-san… hear?_" the small and timid-sounding voice of Kururi Orihara asked.

"_Of course he can hear you!_" Mairu said from the back. "_Now hurry up! I want to talk to him again!_"

"Hi… Kururi…" Shizuo sighed. This phone call was going nowhere.

"_Hello…_" Kururi mumbled. "_Coming._"

"_Yes, yes… He _knows_ we're coming!_" Mairu whined. "_Now give me the phone!_"

"_You… turn (you already had your turn)…_"

"_Just give me the phone!_" there were the sounds of wrestling and Mairu's cheery voice came back over the line. "_Ne, Izaya-nii! We'll be coming in a week, okay?_"

"Wait, Mairu, why are you coming?" the bodyguard questioned.

"_And we expect to have fun! Like take us out to sushi again or play the piano for us!_"

"_Zoo…_"

"_Yeah! Or take us to the zoo, like Kururi said!_"

"Mairu, listen to me…"

"_Nii-san, did you get all that?_"

"Mairu! Just listen for one second…!"

"_Great! We'll be there in a week, Izaya-nii! Bye~!_"

"_Bye…_"

"Wait! Girls…!"

-_Click-_

Shizuo stared at the phone in his hand, not really knowing how to react to what just happened. All that he knew was that in a week, he would be royally screwed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Tis finished! More interactions between Shizuo and Izaya in this one (although, this is somewhat filler...). Hope you enjoy! **

Chapter 7

"Kill me…" Shizuo groaned, throwing himself onto the couch in Izaya's apartment. "Kill me now…"

It was just his luck. Just when he thought this situation couldn't get any worse, the Orihara twins had decided to come to town. Great. Just as Shizuo, he couldn't deal with them but as Izaya? How was he supposed to act in front of them? How did Izaya act around his sisters? He buried his head in the couch cushions and hoped maybe, just maybe, he would suffocate and not have to deal with the mess that was slowly arriving.

However, his make-shift death attempt was interrupted by his cell phone vibrating once more.

"What is it this time…?" he groaned, pulling the phone out.

This time, instead of getting call, a text message had appeared on the phone's screen. It read:

_Meet me at Russia Sushi in thirty minutes. We have things to discuss. _

_ -Izaya_

Shizuo groaned and threw the phone on the ground. He just got back from Ikebukuro! What on earth did that flea want now?

With a sigh, he reluctantly lifted himself up from the couch and left the apartment. Might as well get going now; Izaya wasn't a very patient person…

…

At least fifteen minutes later, Shizuo found himself limping back into Ikebukuro, courtesy of the bus that probably would be carting his ass back and forth from now on. Soon enough, he reached Russia Sushi, meeting Simon at the door.

"Ah, Izaya!" the tall Russian greeted with a giant smile. "How are you today?"

"Good enough, I guess," Shizuo sighed. "I'm supposed to be meeting someone here. I would presume they're in a private room. Do you know where they are?"

"Oh? You're meeting Shizuo here?" Simon frowned. "Izaya, please don't start a fight. Fighting is bad. Enjoy your sushi instead. Sushi is good."

"Don't worry, Simon," Shizuo assured the man. "I won't start anything, I promise."

Simon frowned at him, looking unconvinced.

"I know it's a lot to ask but trust me," Shizuo begged. "If something happens, you have full right not to let me enter this restaurant ever again."

Simon's grey eyes narrowed as he thought it over. "Fine, Izaya. Let me show you to the private room."

"Thanks," Shizuo sighed and missed the look Simon shot him. It wasn't usual for someone like Izaya to say words of thanks or to be genuinely polite.

The large Russian man stopped outside of the door of the private room and opened the door, gesturing with a large hand for Shizuo to enter. The bodyguard nodded in thanks and walked inside, immediately looking over at the other person in the room.

Izaya sat on the floor, still wearing his usual garb on Shizuo's body. He sat on the floor, Indian style, as he drew figures on the table with his index finger. One elbow rested on the table to support his head as his eyes scanned the wood with a bored look. Hearing the sound of the door open, he slowly looked up at Shizuo with blank hazel eyes.

"You're late," he said in a simple, even monotone.

"Bull! You know how long it takes to…" Shizuo started and became silent when Izaya fixed him with a warning glare.

Shizuo looked over his shoulder to see Simon still standing in the doorway, watching the two carefully. The bodyguard sighed; he would have to watch his temper then. Without another word, he sat down across from Izaya, sitting on his knees.

"Anything you want to drink, Izaya?" the Russian sushi chef asked Shizuo.

"Water," Shizuo said quickly, keeping his eyes on Izaya. "Just water."

Simon nodded and slowly left, looking over his shoulder to see that they hadn't torn each other to pieces yet before closing the door. The small room became eerily quiet as the two stared each other down, hazel locking with crimson. Shizuo's fists tightened around the fabric of his pants, bundling the black cloth into his hands as he desperately tried not to lunge at the man sitting across from him.

"Well?" Izaya suddenly asked. "Isn't there a question you have for me?"

"What the hell do you mean?" the bodyguard growled, glaring at the man in his body. He didn't know why he was so angry all of a sudden but that was what Izaya would do to him. There was something about the informant that just pissed him off. Maybe it was the smirk he always wore or maybe it was because of the way he talked. He didn't really know why on earth he hated the flea from day one but, truth be told, he also didn't give a damn. He hated Izaya and that was all that mattered.

"Tch…" the informant rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Are you always this thick? It's quite frustrating really…"

"Cut to the point, flea," Shizuo grunted.

"You have a question to ask me and I know what it is," Izaya said. "Simple, simple."

"Fine!" Shizuo snapped. "Why the hell did you call me here?"

"Finally, he gets what I'm saying…" the informant chuckled, twisting a chopstick around in his hand. "Contrary to what you may or may not believe right now, this isn't another one of my pranks. For once, this is completely serious."

"And? What is it? Why am I here?"

"We have a serious issue on our hands, Shizu-chan," Izaya sighed, dropping the chopstick on the table. "Your precious little brother Kasuka is coming to town in a week."

Shizuo perked up, surprise on his face. "Kasuka? Kasuka's coming?"

"Now don't get too excited," the informant grunted. "In case you have forgotten, I'm still you and you're still me. And as we both know, it's going to be impossible to switch back in as little time as a week."

Shizuo slumped over again, a thoughtful frown on his face. The damn flea was right. There was no way that two people who hated each other so much would be able to get along and switch back in a week.

"So what the hell are we going to do?" he asked.

"Why do you think I asked you to come here?" Izaya shot back. "I thought you might be able to provide some helpful intellect. I see I was wrong, dealing with a protozoan like you. Your brain can only go so far…"

"Oi! Watch it!" Shizuo snapped. "And besides, if you needed better brain power, why did you look to me for help instead on relying on you, the great Orihara Izaya?"

Izaya glared at the bodyguard, almost looking at a loss for words. "I…! I just thought that since you were in this situation too…!"

"I guess the great Orihara Izaya needs help from lowly protozoan every once in a while…" Shizuo said with a smug grin.

Izaya's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Oh, so you admit you're stupid then?" He smirked, knowing he had regained the upper hand.

Shizuo bristled and growled at the informant, slamming both hands on the table and leaning in close.

"Listen up, you little slimeball!" he yelled. "If you say one more word, I will tear off your fingers and…!"

At that moment, the door slid open and Shizuo turned to see Simon entering, looking at the two with an unimpressed glance. Shizuo, not forgetting his agreement with the Russian, backed away from Izaya and slid down into a sitting position.

"Here's your water," Simon said, setting the glass down in front of Shizuo. Without thinking twice, he switched to Russian and began to mutter lowly into Shizuo's ear. "Izaya, you haven't forgotten our agreement, have you? No fights with Shizuo or I'll be forced to drag you out of here. Got it?"

Shizuo, who didn't understand a word in Russian (much less English), froze in place as he tried to comprehend what the sushi chef had just said to him. Not looking at the larger man, he nodded his head slowly, trying to act like he understood. Izaya, on the other hand, understood all of what Simon had said and smiled to himself.

"What shall I get you two?" Simon asked, switching back to Japanese. "Some ootoro?"

"Yes please," Izaya smiled. "For the both of us."

Simon smiled and nodded, leaving slowly and watching the two carefully. Izaya looked back at Shizuo with a wide smirk, a playful fire in his eyes.

"So, you've gotten your first taste of Russian," he chuckled.

"That's what that was?" Shizuo asked and then let out a long sigh. "I didn't know that you knew Russian…"

"I not only know it, I'm fluent as well," Izaya said, a slight bragging tone to his voice. "I'm afraid I can't teach you. We have more important things to worry about."

"Right… Kasuka…" Shizuo muttered as he took a sip of water. Suddenly, he remembered what had happened to him before Izaya had texted. "I almost forgot to tell you this but I got a call too."

"From whom?" the informant asked, looking slightly suspicious.

"Your sisters."

Izaya, who was drinking some of his green tea, gagged on the liquid and began to cough violently. He looked up at Shizuo with surprised eyes, gripping his throat as he continued to cough.

"Wh-what?" he gasped. "Mairu and Kururi? Coming _here_?"

"In a week," Shizuo confirmed.

"Of course this would happen…" Izaya muttered to himself. "Only _they _could make this situation worse!" He got up and began to pace around, fidgeting with his jacket as he did so. "What do we do, what do we do, what do we do?"

As he continued to pace about, Shizuo heard the door slide open and turned back to see Simon entering, trays of sushi in hand. The bodyguard turned his gaze back to Izaya and saw the informant sitting back at the table, sipping his tea calmly as if nothing had happened.

_How on earth does he do that? _Shizuo asked himself as Izaya nodded at Simon in greeting.

"Thank you, Simon," Izaya smiled as the Russian served the sushi.

"Eat, eat!" the large Russian encouraged them. "Being hungry makes you anxious and being anxious can cause fighting. Sushi will fill you up and you will not fight. See? Sushi is good!"

"Yes… um… Thank you, Simon…" Shizuo said as the tray was set in front of him, not really knowing how to react to what the Russian had said.

Simon bowed and exited, leaving the two alone. Shizuo glanced down at the tuna nigiri in front of him and then looked back up at the informant. Izaya's eyes met his and suddenly, the bodyguard felt very flustered and looked back down again. By far, this was probably the longest they had been in a room together without trying to kill each other. It felt so… alien.

"Does Shizu-chan always stare at his food?"

Shizuo looked back up at the informant, who was smiling coyly at him. Immediately, the flustered feeling he had was gone and was replaced by irritation.

"N-no!" he spat, looking away from the informant. "Why the hell are you looking at me anyways?"

"Who says I was looking at you? Maybe it's wishful thinking~"

"Hell no!"

"Ah! Ah! Look! Shizu-chan's blushing!" Izaya chuckled, pointing a finger at the bodyguard.

"I-I am not!" Shizuo snapped, trying to keep the heat from rising to his cheeks.

"Silly Shizu-chan," the informant smiled. "You're so…" He suddenly stopped and stared at the bodyguard for a while, his eyes focused on the red spread across Shizuo's cheeks. Without saying another word, he picked up his chopsticks and muttered, "Itadakimasu…"

"Itadakimasu…" Shizuo mumbled to himself, focusing on the sushi rather than the man sitting in front of him.

A sudden, uncomfortable silence settled in the room as the men ate their meals, neither of them looking at each other. A few more minutes passed by and the silence slowly became unbearable. Shizuo glanced up at Izaya, who was making sure to keep his eyes glued to the ootoro in front of him. The silence kind of scared the bodyguard. Usually when he met Izaya, they would play a game of tennis with their words, batting insults back and forth. To Shizuo, it seemed like the informant couldn't live without spitting out some sort of snide comment. Now, with him so quiet, it started to make him nervous.

"So…" he muttered.

"So what?"

"What do we do about Kasuka and the twins?"

Izaya sighed, poking the pickled ginger around on his plate. "Yes, that… To tell you the truth, I have no idea…"

"How about we try to switch back?" the bodyguard asked hopefully. "Maybe we can actually get along within a week."

"I doubt it," Izaya snorted, picking up a piece of nigiri and popping it into his mouth. "Hell would freeze over first."

"What other option do we have?" Shizuo asked. "There is no way that I'll be able to act like you while your sisters are in town!"

Izaya's eyes lit up and he back to Shizuo, a small smile on his face. "You're right… You're right! There is _no _way that you would be able to act like me!"

"Yes, I know…" Shizuo muttered, looking slightly confused. "Why are you so happy about that?"

"You won't be able to act like me…" Izaya continued. "Unless I train you _how_!"

There was a slight pause. "Excuse me…?"

"The only way that we can deal with each other's respective siblings is if we teach each other how to act in front of them," Izaya explained, sitting on his knees and leaning over the table. "We have a week, correct?"

"Yes, but I don't really see…"

"Perfect! There will be more than enough time!"

"More than enough time?" Shizuo repeated. "Izaya, are you insane? It will definitely take me more than a week to act like a scumbag such as yourself."

"Sticks and stones," Izaya sighed, brushing the insult off. "Trust me, Shizu-chan, I think we both know enough about to each other to at least have some experience on how we act, hmm?"

"The hell do you mean?"

"We fight all the time so we already know how enough about each other," Izaya explained. "In fact, I know exactly where you live now, where you lived in high school, and what colleges you tried to attend before you were kicked out for being too… rambunctious, I could say."

"You do know that you sound like a stalker, right?" Shizuo asked dryly, not really impressed with what Izaya had to offer.

"Come on, Shizu-chan, you and I both know that this is the best solution to our problems," the informant reasoned, leaning closer to the bodyguard. "And besides, who knows? Maybe on the way we'll find out how to switch back. How does that sound?"

Shizuo mulled it over, weighing the options. If he got to learn more about Izaya, he would be able to interact with the twins without suspicion and a visa-versa for the flea. If he didn't, well, he'd been in for hell within a week and there could be less of a chance of them switching back. Coming to a decision, he glanced up at Izaya.

Of course, he had to back away seeing at the informant had come uncomfortably close to him.

"Before I answer, get out of my face," Shizuo grunted, pushing Izaya away. "Izaya, your idea, dare I say it, is the best solution for now. I'll agree to it."

"Wonderful!" Izaya smiled and ate another piece of nigiri. He looked at Shizuo, who still hadn't touched his food. "Well? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Who wants to know?" the bodyguard shot back.

Izaya sighed heavily, shaking his head in dismay. "This may take longer than I first thought… Shizu-chan, the first thing you must know about me is that I never hesitate to have some ootoro. As you probably have already seen, I very much like it." He picked a piece up, examining it closely. "In fact, I think I may be developing an unhealthy addiction for it…" he popped the piece into his mouth, making a pleased sound as the tender meat touched his tongue. "Anyway, people would think that I was ill if I refused some ootoro. So, as your first lesson in being moi, take note of what I eat and what I don't eat."

"…Right…" Shizuo dead-panned, picking up a piece of the nigiri. "Do I have to look as horribly stupid as you do when I eat it?"

Izaya shot him a glare but decided not to respond to the comment. "Just look like you're enjoying it, that's all."

"Got it," the bodyguard noted. "Anything else I should know about your eating habits?"

"Despite of what you think of me, I never slouch at the table," the informant moved over to Shizuo, grabbing the man's shoulders. "I always sit up straight." He pushed Shizuo's shoulders back so that the other's back was erect and straight. "And I usually prefer tea to accompany my food but I'm not all too picky when it comes to my eating habits."

"Somehow, I doubt that…" Shizuo remarked.

Izaya went back to his original seat and snorted, holding his nose up in the air. "Think what you will, Shizu-chan, think what you will…" He then reverted to a more relaxed position, leaning on the table and staring at the wood intently. "But regardless, our mission now is to get to know each other as much as possible before our respective siblings arrive."

"For once, I agree with you," Shizuo sighed and then frowned. He had just agreed with the flea on something? He didn't know if he was disgusted or relieved by that fact. "What should we do?"

Izaya looked thoughtful for a moment and then his eyes lit up. "First off, we're going to leave."

"Leave?" Shizuo asked, slightly confused. "What do you mean 'leave?'"

"Oh, so thick-headed~" Izaya sighed as he stood up. "We're leaving the restaurant so we can go to your apartment."

"Why?"

"Shizu-chan, I may call you stupid but that doesn't mean I have to be right," the informant sighed and Shizuo let out a low growl. "We might as well start teaching each other now so we can get a head start. Does that make any sense to your walnut-sized brain?"

The bodyguard nodded slowly and Izaya smiled.

"Great! Now, let's leave!"

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Shizuo protested and Izaya began to pull on his sleeve.

"But Shizu-chaaaaaan~!" the informant whined. "We have to!"

"I'm _not _going!" Shizuo snarled and folded his arms across his chest, intent on staying seated on the floor.

There was a beat of silence and then…

"I'll pick you up again."

"Fine!" Shizuo snapped, getting to his feet. "But it's only because I want to get this over with!"

"Good Shizu-chan~" Izaya chuckled and patted the other man on the head.

"Oi! Don't do that!" Shizuo snapped and grabbed at Izaya's hand.

The informant quickly pulled his hand away and twirled around so he was facing the door. "Shall we take our leave?"

"Go die."

"After you," Izaya grinned, holding the door open as he gestured for Shizuo to exit.

The bodyguard walked past the informant, shooting the other man a suspicious glare as he went. Izaya only smiled back, his eyes filled with mischievous intent. The two walked to the front of the restaurant in silence, finding Simon in no time.

"Ah, Shizuo, Izaya!" the large man greeted with a smile. "Leaving so soon? It seems like you just started!"

"Sorry, Simon, but we have business to attend to," Izaya said with a small smile. "Here, let me pay you…" He reached into pockets and pulled out Shizuo's worn wallet, opening it up to reveal…

Nothing.

He looked down at it in silence, inwardly kicking himself as he remembered just how dirt poor Shizuo was.

"Let me handle this, _Shizuo_," Shizuo chirped, satisfied that Izaya's roll had been ended. He pulled out the flea's fancier (and surely fatter) wallet and looked inside, pulling out a few bills. Handing them to Simon with a smile, he said "Keep the change. Thank you for the meal."

"Douitashimashite!" Simon smiled as the two left the restaurant.

Izaya snorted and put the worn wallet away, glaring at the grinning man beside him. "Bastard."

"Takes one to know one," Shizuo remarked, smirking at the informant. "The Great Orihara Izaya forgot the fact that I'm dirt poor? I never thought it possible."

"Shut up…" Izaya grumbled. "You're such a…" He paused and a smirk wormed its way onto his face. "Maybe this won't be so hard after all…"

"What makes you say that?"

"You're already starting to act like me," Izaya chuckled and Shizuo glared at him.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too times infinity~"

Shizuo snorted and turned away from the informant. "You're such a five year old…"

"Hmmm… I remember this kind of conversation going on earlier…" Izaya said thoughtfully. "I believe you said, 'Takes one to know one…' Right, Shizu-chan?"

"I hate you…" the bodyguard growled. "You little cockroach…"

"You do know that cockroaches are nearly invincible, right?" the informant snickered. "So, I'll take it as a compliment~"

"You know what? Screw this!" Shizuo growled, turning back the way they came. "I'm going back to freaking Shinjuku so I don't have to worry about you!"

"Ah, ah, ah~!" Izaya chuckled, grabbing Shizuo's collar. "Not so fast!"

"Let me go!" Shizuo growled, swinging his arms around uselessly as Izaya picked him up off of the ground. "Put me down now or I'll-!"

"Or you'll break every bone in my body…" Izaya sighed, as he carried Shizuo off. "I know, I know."

Shizuo snorted and stopped struggling, folding his arms over his chest as he let his feet hang over the ground. "I really do hate you…"

"Don't worry," Izaya smiled. "The feeling's mutual."

The bodyguard only snorted in response and Izaya sighed, continuing to hold the other up by his collar. "You know, Shizu-chan's lighter than I thought…"

"That's because I'm _you _at the moment, idiot!" Shizuo snapped. "And put me down! I can walk on my own!"

"But you'll run off again~"

"No… I won't…" Shizuo sighed, still frustrated. "Now put me down."

"Promise?"

"Promise," the word was pushed through the bodyguard's teeth.

"Hmmm…" Izaya pretended to think about it. "Nah. This is too much fun!"

"You…! You little bastard!" Shizuo shouted, fighting against Izaya's grip. "Put me down! Put me down now! Are you even listening to me? If you don't put me down, I'll…"

For the rest of the trip, Shizuo's angered shouts filled the entire city and Izaya learned how to block certain noises from entering his ears.


	8. Chapter 8

**Whew... This is so late... But I got it done! It's kinda short this time (more filler~) but I promise chapters will get longer as this goes on. **

Chapter 8

Shizuo sighed as he flopped down on the couch in his apartment. He was finally home and what a good feeling it was! However, there was still one small problem…

"Don't just lay there, Shizu-chan. We have work to do."

And that problem was called Izaya.

"Why the hell are you still here?" Shizuo grumbled as he rolled over and tried to forget that the informant was there.

"First off, you're having me stay here so we don't arouse suspicion," Izaya sighed, counting on his fingers. "Secondly, _I _brought _you _here just in case you don't remember. Thirdly, we have some work to get done before our siblings come to town. Normally, I would detest being with you at all but I would _really_ like to get back in my body soon and if not before the twins arrive, I would prefer not to look like an idiot in front of them especially since you are in my body."

"Fine…" Shizuo growled, sitting up and shooting a glare at the other. "What should we start with?"

"Well, since we're in _your_ apartment, I thought that you could tell me a little more about yourself," Izaya reasoned, taking a seat next to Shizuo. "Should we start at eating habits?"

"I guess…" Shizuo sighed, leaning against the cushions. "I always gravitate towards milk when choosing something to drink and I prefer most sweets to anything else."

"Shizu-chan is like a child~" Izaya giggled. "Eating sweet things all the time…"

Shizuo shot him a glare. "I wouldn't talk if I were you."

"Oh, but you are me, remember?"

"Shut up…"

"Anything else I need to know?" the informant asked. "How do you usually act around Kasuka?"

"I definitely don't throw vending machines in his presence, if that's what you mean," Shizuo snorted. "Whenever he comes to visit, I make sure to dedicate all my time to being with him. I always try to hold my temper around him…"

"Does it actually work?"

"Shut up!" Shizuo snapped, grabbing a pillow from the couch and smacking it against Izaya's head. "How about instead of being a smartass you tell me about how you usually act around your sisters."

"Fine, fine~" Izaya chuckled, snatching the pillow from the other's grasp. "In truth, I don't act different, unlike you."

"So you're still a little asswipe?"

"Not all the time but most of the time," the informant said and then his eyes focused on empty space. "However, I do have my moments. If anything, anything at all, were to happen to them, I would tear the city apart looking for them."

Shizuo stared at Izaya, noting how serious the informant looked as he talked about his sisters. He had never seen Izaya like this; he had never seen him so serious before.

_So there is one thing we have in common… _the bodyguard thought to himself. _It's how much we care about our siblings… _

"So don't spoil them too much but make sure you let them know that you care," Izaya continued, not noticing that Shizuo had slightly spaced out. "Oh, and Mairu's allergic to peanut butter so keep the stuff away from her." He glanced over at Shizuo, who was busy thinking of other things that they possibly had in common. "Shizu-chan? Did you get that?"

"Huh? Oh…! Yes, I did…" Shizuo muttered, nodding slightly.

"Is something the matter with poor, little Shizu-chan~?"

"No… I was just thinking…"

"Thinking? I didn't know that was possible for you~!"

"Here's an idea…" Shizuo sighed. "How about you stop insulting me and try to get serious about this?"

"But that wouldn't be any fun~" Izaya giggled, smirking at Shizuo.

Shizuo rolled his eyes and looked away from the informant, making an unimpressed sound. "I should have known… It's pointless arguing with you."

Izaya turned to the other with a glint in his eye and a playful smirk. "So you give up?"

"I didn't say that!" the bodyguard snapped, hitting Izaya with another pillow.

"You insinuated it."

"Flea, I am going to pound your face in…" Shizuo growled, grabbing Izaya's collar and pulling back a fist.

Izaya smiled and turned his cheek towards Shizuo, just begging for the other to deal the blow. Seeing this, the bodyguard sighed and lowered his fist. The informant raised an eyebrow; he had failed to get a violent response from Shizuo Heiwajima? What had just gone wrong with the world?

"Shizu-chan…?"

"We shouldn't be doing this now," Shizuo sighed. "We need to figure out how to work together instead of fighting. Agreed?"

"Fine, fine," Izaya sighed. "No more teasing and no more jeers, I promise."

"Shake on it?" the bodyguard held out a hand.

Izaya raised an eyebrow but shook Shizuo's hand anyways.

"And? What now?"

"We learn how to act like each other," the bodyguard answered. "Maybe we should set up some sort of schedule?"

"Good idea," Izaya nodded. "Let's meet at each other's apartments every day, alternating every once in a while. When we meet here, you'll teach me how to be you and when we meet at my place, I'll teach you how to be me. How does that sound?"

"It makes sense," Shizuo nodded and then frowned. "But how do we keep from looking suspicious? I think people will start to notice when Izaya Orihara enters my apartment several days in a row, unharmed."

"We can hope for people to assume that we're trying to kill each other," Izaya said thoughtfully. "But just in case, we can find other ways to get to each other's apartments that are out of sight, like a back door if you will."

"Let's establish routes then," Shizuo agreed and rose from the couch, walking over to his desk and began to search through the drawers. "I have a map in here somewhere…"

A few minutes later, the two had a map on the floor and were finding different routes to get from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku. Izaya had grabbed a pink highlighter and traced out a suitable pathway for them to take when visiting each other.

"There!" he said, capping the pink highlighter. "All done! Does that look good to you, Shizu-chan?"

The bodyguard looked over the route and wrinkled his nose. "Why is it in pink?"

"Pink's a nice color," Izaya said defensively, holding the highlighter tightly in his hands.

"It's _girly_…"

"I don't care~"

"It makes you look gay."

"Ah, but _you _own the highlighter~! Now what does that say about you?"

A few seconds later, Izaya found himself locked in a closet with a pink highlighter shoved up his nose.

…

"I guess this is where we part ways, right Shizu-chan?" Izaya asked as he and Shizuo stepped out of the apartment.

The sun was setting and it was already time for Shizuo to return to Shinjuku. The two had already laid out a plan of how they would meet each other and when they should get together. The planning went perfectly, aside from the occasional squabble, and the two were actually able to spend a day together without ripping each other's limbs off.

_So far, so good… _Shizuo thought and then turned to Izaya. "Yeah… I might as well head back to Shinjuku. Tomorrow, we're meeting at your place at 6 so don't forget."

"I won't, I won't~" Izaya assured him. "Really, you must think I'm some sort of irresponsible child."

"Think? I _know _you're an irresponsible child…"

To his surprise, Izaya laughed instead of shooting back a biting retort. "Ah, Shizu-chan _does _know me well…"

Shizuo blinked at the informant and then rolled his eyes. "Whatever. See you tomorrow, flea."

"Ja nee~" Izaya waved as Shizuo slowly walked away from the apartment complex. "Silly, silly Shizu-chan…"

…

"I can't believe we wasted all that time just so you could buy a stupid little book…" Kyohei Kadota sighed from the front seat as Saburo Togusa drove their small group back home.

"It's not stupid!" Erika protested from the back. "It's a way of life!"

"Whatever you say…" Kyohei sighed, looking straight ahead and trying to block out the otakus in the back seat.

"Finally, Yumacchi! The third volume of _Hetalia_ is ours!" Erika cheered from the back seat. "What else is on our list?"

"_Kuroshitsuji_, _Full Metal Alchemist_, _Baccano_, the ultimate editions of _Fruits Basket_, _Bleach_…" Walker suddenly made a face and looked up at his fellow otaku. "_Junjou Romantica_? Really?"

"It's full of yaoi goodness!"

"Here she goes again…" Saburo muttered under his breath and Kyohei turned up the radio to block out Erika listing the reasons of why yaoi is so great.

Erika suddenly stopped her rant and gasped, plastering her face to the window. "Look! Togusa-san, stop the car!"

"Why?"

"Because it's for something important!"

"Fine!"

Saburo stopped the car and Erika looked hungrily out the window, her dark eyes following every movement she saw.

"I knew it!" she cried. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

"What on earth are you looking at?" Kyohei growled and turned to look out the window. "Is that… Shizuo?"

"And IzaIza-kun!" Erika squealed, bouncing up and down with excitement. "They're talking!"

"And this is important how?"

"They just came out of Shizuo-san's apartment!" the otaku squealed again. "I knew it, I knew it!"

"The hell are you talking about?"

"They're secret lovers! It's proof!"

Silence befell the inside of the van and Saburo began to beat his head against the steering wheel.

"Again?" he cried. "How many times do you have to bring this up?"

"As many times as it takes for you all to accept my OTP!" Erika cackled and pressed her face against the window again. "Shizuo's wearing Izaya's coat! It must signify their love!"

"Drive," Kyohei told Saburo. "Drive as if your very life depends on it!"

The other man didn't need any more coaxing and his foot found the gas pedal faster than anyone would have ever thought. The van sped away from the apartment complex, the injured cry of a yaoi fangirl coming from inside.

**And the otakus appear once again. I love Erika... I can relate so much to her... -thinks- I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, actually... Truthfully, I have no idea what to do when it comes to the two interacting (except for one little smidgen, but that's a surprise). So please, readers, can you help me with ideas? I would be most grateful. ^^ Thank you for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm back! I've been having issues posting stuff so I'm sorry for being late. But now I have the new chapter! Complete with Shizaya-ness! And I've heard this question constantly: is this fic a Shizaya or Izuo fic? Well, it's going to be Shizaya but Shizuo's in Izaya's body so does that make it Izuo...? O.o Anyways... Enjoy!**

Chapter 9

_Beep… beep… beep…_

Shizuo awoke slowly to the sound of an alarm clock ringing, the sound infiltrating every crevice of his ears and attacking his sensitive eardrums. He unwillingly pushed himself up, coming into a sitting position, and glanced tiredly at the clock.

12:00.

Noon? He glanced at the clock again. Noon. How long had he slept in? Now irritated, the bodyguard dragged himself out of bed and gathered some clothes out of a nearby drawer. He frowned; they were _Izaya's_ clothes. What a nice reminder of the predicament he was in…

He then glanced to the bathroom and then back to the clothes in his arms. He hadn't taken a shower in a while and he _really _needed to change into a fresh set of clothes; the ones he had on now were starting to acquire some sort of stench. But it seemed so _wrong_… He was in _Izaya's _body after all…

"Dammit…" he growled and stomped into the bathroom. "Might as well get this over with…"

He made note not to look as he carefully peeled off his clothes and stepped into the shower, feeling relieved once the warm water sprayed on his head. He quickly lathered his body in soap, getting it as clean as he could. As he spread the soap to his chest, Shizuo noted just how scrawny Izaya was. The informant barely had any muscle on him and was almost a twig.

_Maybe something's wrong with the flea… _Shizuo thought and then snorted. _Of course, I knew that already…_

After washing his hair, the turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. Once he dried off, he quickly grabbed his clothing and slipped it on.

_I guess that wasn't all that bad… _he thought as he walked out of the bathroom. "Now what to do…?" His stomach grumbled and he made his way over to the kitchen. "A late breakfast doesn't sound too bad…"

The bodyguard quickly cooked up some eggs and wolfed them down, most likely ingesting the meal faster than he had made it. After washing the dishes he had used, drying them, and putting them back in their rightful places, Shizuo flopped onto Izaya's large black couch with a sigh. What on earth could he do in the flea's damned apartment? He glanced over at the desk sitting near the window and eyed the shiny Apple computer sitting on top of it.

Well… It couldn't hurt… And besides, he might find something that was more entertaining than moping on the couch all day.

He made his way over to Izaya's shiny, expensive computer and sat down, turning the piece of tech on. After waiting patiently for it to turn on, Shizuo went straight to the internet. He frowned at Izaya's homepage, which was littered with tons of new articles. One article in particular caught his eye…

_"Yuuhei Hanejima to come to Ikebukuro!"_

Shizuo shook his head. Damn media; his poor little brother just couldn't get away from it all. His only safe-haven was Shizuo's apartment, since no one would dare approach the dwelling of the feared Fortissimo of Ikebukuro.

A frown came to his face again. This time Kasuka would be spending his visit with Izaya instead. The bodyguard treasured the times when his brother came to visit and this would be the one time where he wouldn't be able to even see his brother.

"Dammit…" he sighed and left the homepage, deciding to surf the web for something more interesting and less distracting.

You know how once the clock reaches noon, the rest of the day just seems to fly by? That is what happened as Shizuo wasted time on the internet, bored with nothing to do. After he finished playing another seemingly endless round of Solitaire, he glanced over at the time and groaned.

"Four already?" he sighed. "Today just disappeared…" He turned off the computer and slowly walked over to the couch, flopping down on it again. "I feel like having a drink or two…"

He glanced at the clock. It was only four and Izaya would be coming at six. He had two hours of time to kill and it was about time that he got out of that damned apartment.

As he got up to head for the door, a thought struck him. What if Izaya showed up early and he wasn't there? After all, the flea did have an uncanny habit of showing up when not wanted. Shizuo quickly made his way over to the desk and jotted down a note, leaving it in a place where the flea could see it. Afterwards, he grabbed a phonebook and looked up the nearest bar in Shinjuku.

He really, _really _needed a drink…

…

At six o'clock, Izaya popped his head into his apartment, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. He walked in and stretched his arms, content to be back home. He then glanced around, looking for Shizuo and then smirked when he didn't catch a trace of the bodyguard. It was time to play a little game; besides, his trip would have been for nothing if he didn't get the chance to annoy his most favorite human.

"Oh, Shizu-chan~~~~!" he called out as he threw himself on the couch, sprawling his body across it much like a cat would.

He expected the beast to come storming from the bedroom, spewing incomprehensible words as he tried (and failed) to pick up the nearest table or couch. But Shizuo did not make his entrance and Izaya frowned, slightly miffed. Was Shizu-chan ignoring him?

"Don't try to ignore me, Shizu-chan," he chuckled, trying not to lose his composure. "I know you're hiding somewhere!"

No response. Izaya pouted and got up from the couch, stalking around the apartment.

"Shizu-chan~" he opened the door of the bedroom and found that the room was empty. He checked the bathroom, the kitchen, and every single inch of the apartment, looking for the missing bodyguard but came up dry every time. "Where are you?" he groaned as he flopped back down on the couch, looking over sadly at the desk.

Damn, he was hoping to have some fun… Wait, what was that on the desk? Izaya scurried over and picked up a piece of paper, reading the messy scrawl.

_Flea-_

_ If you're reading this, then I probably haven't returned…_

"No shit…" the informant snorted.

_I just went out for a drink. I promise I'll be back before six. _

_ -Shizuo_

Izaya set down the note and glanced at the clock. It was already ten minutes _past _six. Stupid protozoan… He was probably drunk off his ass and couldn't get back home. With a sigh, Izaya quickly left the apartment to fetch the fool running around in his body.

…

It wasn't too long until Izaya found himself walking into the bar across the street, scanning the building for the all too familiar figure of his nemesis. Luckily, it didn't take him long. Seemingly passed out at the bar was a mass of black, clutching an almost empty glass of sake. Izaya rolled his eyes and took a seat next to the pitiful lump, staring at the other man until Shizuo faced him.

Now sensing that he was being watched, Shizuo slowly turned his head to look over at Izaya, his eyes hazy from the alcohol he had consumed and his cheeks tinged pink. Upon seeing the informant, his red eyes turned confused and he titled his head to the side.

"You… look like me…" Shizuo slurred, apparently so drunk that he couldn't even remember the predicament he and Izaya were in.

"Because I _am_ you at the moment," Izaya snorted. "Did you drink so much that you lost all your brain cells?"

"No, no…" the bodyguard muttered. "I remember now." He paused and tried to glare at Izaya but due to his state, the glare came out as a blank stare. "I hate you, damn flea…" He took another swig of sake and slammed the glass on the table, bringing his forehead down with it. "You can't hold your alcohol worth shit…"

"I rarely drink the stuff," Izaya admitted, leaning on the bar so he could be at eye-level with Shizuo. "I'm vulnerable when I'm drunk and I just hate feeling helpless. I just avoid all sorts of alcohol completely."

Shizuo muttered something that Izaya didn't catch and a hiccup followed afterwards, jolting his body slightly. Izaya chose to suppress a chuckle and titled his head towards the bodyguard, cupping his ear.

"What was that, Shizu-chan?"

"I feel like shit…"

"I assume you've never been drunk before," Izaya sighed. "Considering your brute strength, it wouldn't surprise me if you could hold your liquor better than the average person. You seem to be almost indestructible, Shizu-chan! Sugoi~!"

"Shut up…" the bodyguard slurred, trying to punch Izaya. He missed by mere inches and waved his hand around, hoping to somehow hit the informant. "I hate you… Stupid flea… You're such a bastard…"

Izaya sighed and moved away from the hand, just out of reach from the bodyguard. "Yes, yes… Before you say it, I probably should have told you sooner. But in all defense, it wasn't my idea for you to go out and drink as much booze as you could."

Shizuo's hand went limp and he grumbled to himself, his words still slurring together.

"Speak up, Shizu-chan! I can't speak protozoan."

"I said why did you even bother to find me?"

Izaya stared at Shizuo in surprise, caught off-guard by the question. "Huh?"

"Why did you come here at all?" Shizuo asked again. "Don't you hate me? Knowing you, you would have cared less about where I disappeared to."

Izaya blinked. "I… well…" He then snorted and kicked Shizuo in the shin, earning a groan of pain from the bodyguard. "Stupid, stupid Shizu-chan! Isn't it obvious? I can't have you running off while you're in my body!"

"Of course…" Shizuo snorted. "How could I forget…?"

"I also have to teach you tonight but I see no point in having a student who isn't even sober," Izaya sniffed. "Besides, why would I waste my time teaching when I have someone that needs to be taken home?"

"Eh?" Shizuo blinked as Izaya grabbed him and tried to stand him up. "What are you…?"

"What does it look like?" the informant asked as he hooked the bodyguard's arm around his neck. "I'm taking you home."

"But…"

"What, do you want me to leave you in the street to be mugged?" Izaya asked as he wrapped an arm around Shizuo's waist to support the other.

Shizuo shook his head silently and Izaya nodded sharply.

"I thought as much," he said as he started to lead Shizuo out of the bar. "Be glad you chose to go to a bar that wasn't far from my apartment. Otherwise, this would take forever…"

Shizuo nodded, not seeming like he was paying attention, and then rested his head on Izaya's shoulder, nodding off slightly as they walked back. Izaya dragged the bodyguard back inside of the complex and went straight for the elevator, standing close to the wall with the dazed man hanging onto his arm.

Once the elevator reached the appropriate floor, Izaya had to shake Shizuo into consciousness.

"Wake up, protozoan," he mumbled and Shizuo stared groggily at him, not seeming to comprehend what was going on. "I don't care how drunk you are, I'm not dragging your dead weight all the way to my apartment."

Shizuo grumbled in response but followed regardless, his balance a tad shaky. Izaya quickly swiped the spare key from the top of the door frame and unlocked the apartment door, having Shizuo lean on him for balance as they walked in.

"How you feeling?" he asked as he pushed the door closed with his foot.

"Tired…" the bodyguard mumbled, clinging onto Izaya's arm as if it were the only thing that anchored him to this earth.

"Well, I'll send you off to bed," Izaya sighed as he led the bodyguard across the apartment. "I didn't know you were this irresponsible… Silly Shizu-cha-Oi!"

At that moment, Shizuo stumbled and fell to the ground, bringing the informant down with him. Izaya groaned as he landed on his back and groaned again as Shizuo landed on top of him.

"Shizu-chan…" he whined. "You're such a clutz! Get o-!"

He was instantly silenced by lips being pressed against his own. Izaya's eyes widened in shock when he realized that Shizuo was kissing him, his lips soft against Izaya's.

_What… what the hell? _Izaya thought, his mind scrambled by the mere surprise. _Why is this…? What is going on?_

Shizuo then pulled away and rested his head in the crook of Izaya's neck, a soft snore coming from his barely parted lips.

"He's asleep…" Izaya muttered and then sighed. "You're really drunk, aren't you Shizu-chan?"

He slowly got back to his feet, picking the sleeping man up and carrying him to the bedroom. Once in the room, he pulled the covers back and removed Shizuo's shoes, laying the man on the bed gently. As he turned away after pulling the covers back up, a hand caught his sleeve.

"Stay…" Shizuo mumbled, still a bit smashed from drinking.

"But…" Izaya sighed and shook his head. "Okay." He slowly removed his shoes and climbed on top of the bed, lying next to the sleeping bodyguard.

As Izaya lay down, Shizuo moved closer and wrapped his arms around the other's chest, snuggling up against Izaya's body. The informant flushed but slowly wrapped his arms around the other, unconsciously starting to stroke the other's hair.

"Oyasuminasai…"


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay! The next chapter!**

Chapter 10

Shizuo awoke feeling quite content, despite the fact that he had been completely wasted the night before. In fact, he felt like that was the best night of sleep he had ever had. Smiling slightly, he opened his eyes to the sun leaking into the room and rolled over to come face to face with…

Izaya.

He froze, staring dumbstruck at the sleeping face of his nemesis. How in the world? What in the world? How on earth did this happen? What had happened last night? As Shizuo stared at Izaya in shock, trying to find words to say, Izaya's eyes slowly fluttered open and focused on the bodyguard.

"Oh…" he said simply. "You're awake."

"Wh… what…? Huh…?"

"Eh? What is it, Shizu-chan? Speak up."

"What the hell is going on?" Shizuo demanded and then flinched at the volume of his own words. "Ow… Damn hangover…"

A smile stretched onto Izaya's face. "Whatever can you mean, Shizu-chan~?"

"You know what I mean!" Shizuo growled. "Why are you _here _in _bed _with _me_?"

"Oh, that~" Izaya chuckled. "I took you home last night after I found you drunk off your ass in a bar. You were so tired that I sent you straight to bed but you wanted some company. Does Shizu-chan not like sleeping alone~?"

"Shut up!" Shizuo snapped, shoving a pillow in Izaya's face. "You better not have tried anything!"

"Like I would even bother," the informant scoffed. "You were drunk and furthermore, I hate you. It is below me to take advantage of someone like that and it is especially below me to do something like _that _with someone who I try to get killed on a daily basis."

"Somehow, that's not making me feel any better…"

"But let's just face it, Shizu-chan…" Izaya smirked, sitting up. "If we ever engaged in sexual activities, we all know who would be the seme… me."

"Bullshit," Shizuo snorted. "I'd never let you do that. It's more likely that I would…" He paused and glared at Izaya, who looked like the cat that ate the canary. "You're a pervert."

"Ah, so you admit that there is a chance of that happening?" the informant snickered.

"No!" Shizuo protested, his cheeks flushing. "I would never do that with someone I hated, especially not _you_."

"If you say so, my little uke…"

Shizuo threw another pillow at the informant, growling curses as Izaya dodged the flying object. The bodyguard snarled and grabbed something that had been sitting under the pillow, preparing to throw it when his actually noticed what it was. It was a simply made stuffed rabbit with a disproportionate head that was larger than its long body and limbs. A little bow was tied around its neck and black buttons were sewed to its head for eyes.

"What the hell is this?" Shizuo asked, raising an eyebrow at the stuffed creature in his hand.

Izaya noticed what he was holding and instantly, his smirk was gone. "D-don't touch that!" He tore the rabbit from the other's grasp and held the animal to his chest, hugging it close.

Shizuo raised an eyebrow and then adopted the smirk that Izaya had just abandoned as the informant turned away from him. "What's this? The Great Orihara Izaya sleeps with a stuffed animal?"

"Shut up…" Izaya pouted, sticking his tongue out at the bodyguard.

"Truthfully, you're the last person I would expect to own something like that," Shizuo chuckled. "Shinra, on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised. But you of all people? Aren't you the kind of person who ruins other people's lives for fun?"

"Don't make fun of me, Shizu-chan," Izaya muttered, clinging tightly to the rabbit. "You're so mean sometimes…"

Shizuo frowned when he heard the other's half-hearted tone and sighed, moving closer to Izaya and ignoring the glare the informant shot him.

"What is its name?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf, flea?" Shizuo snorted. "What's its name?"

Izaya blinked at the bodyguard, surprised. "Usa-chan…" he muttered into the cloth of the rabbit.

"See? That wasn't too hard, now was it?" the informant remained silent. "Okay, flea… What's your problem now?"

"Nothing!" Izaya protested. "It's just that… this isn't something I would normally share with someone…" Shizuo shot the informant a quizzical look. "I don't want anyone to get the impression that I'm weak. As I told you last night, I don't like feeling vulnerable… at all."

"Then why do you still have the thing?" the bodyguard asked and Izaya clutched the rabbit tighter.

"I can't get rid of it…" he muttered. "It's too special to me…" He turned the rabbit towards himself, staring at its face nostalgically. "When I was little, before Mairu and Kururi were born, I was extremely afraid of the dark. My mother made me this to snap me out of it. It worked; it calmed me down and I didn't feel like I was all alone…" He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "I know it sounds stupid but throughout my elementary school life, I felt like Usa-chan was the only friend I had."

"I see…" Shizuo muttered, looking down at the floor. _I never knew that he could seem so fragile…_

"Well, enough about me!" Izaya suddenly exclaimed, smiling broadly. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?"

Shizuo watched as the informant hastily made his exit, feeling a bit confused. How many times had the flea done something like that? It seemed like once Izaya seemed to open up about something, he would immediately change the subject and reinforce his shell. Shizuo frowned and picked up the rabbit Izaya had left behind, looking into its black sewn-on eyes.

"What do you think?" he asked the stuffed animal. "You probably know more about him than I do…" He then growled and tossed the rabbit back on the bed. "The flea must be getting to me… I'm talking to stuffed animals now…"

"Shizu-chan!" Izaya yelled from the kitchen. "Hurry up or you'll get nothing!"

"I'm coming!" Shizuo grunted, massaging his temples as he left the bedroom. "And don't make so much noise! I have a hangover, remember?"

"Not my fault," Izaya stuck his tongue out at the bodyguard and tossed a pre-packaged breakfast to him. "I don't feel like cooking so I dug these out of the fridge. Use the microwave."

"I _know _what to do with these, flea," the bodyguard snorted. "I'm not stupid."

"Could have fooled me~"

Shizuo glared at the informant and tossed his breakfast into the microwave, following the instructions on the box. "You're so bipolar…"

"Excuse me?" Izaya challenged after putting his meal in the second microwave he had. "I have no personality disorders to speak of, thank you very much."

"Could have fooled me," Shizuo retorted, mimicking the tone Izaya had used earlier.

"Very funny, Shizu-chan…" the informant pouted. "Ha, ha…"

As they waited for their meals, Izaya's eyes drifted over to a pan sitting by the sink and the gears in his mind started to turn. Glancing over at Shizuo every so often, the informant slowly inched over towards the sink, his hazel eyes focused solely on the pan. His eyes sparked with excitement when he was in arms-length of the pan. Finally! Now he could have some fun. Slowly picking up the pan, he positioned it over the metallic sink and promptly let go of the handle.

_CLANG!_

Almost immediately, Shizuo grabbed his head. "… IZAYA!"

"Yes, Shizu-chan~?" Izaya asked innocently, inching away from the sink.

"I'm going to kill you, you little asshole!" Shizuo growled and rushed forward to grab Izaya's collar when both the microwaves rang.

"Ah, breakfast calls~!" Izaya snickered. "Are you too hungry to beat my face in?"

"Fuck you…" Shizuo mumbled and stalked over to the microwave, grabbing his breakfast.

"I knew you cared~"

Shizuo shot him one last glare before taking a seat at the island. Izaya smiled brightly, all sunshine and rainbows as he took the seat right next to the bodyguard. He ignored the venomous glare he received and began to eat his food, humming to himself and smiling happily.

"Flea."

"Yes, Shizu-chan~?"

"What exactly happened last night?" the bodyguard's question caused Izaya to choke on some rice.

"Wh-what?" the informant coughed, looking up at Shizuo in surprise.

"What happened?" Shizuo asked again. "I don't remember much since I was drunk…"

"I already told you," Izaya snorted. "I found you, took you back here, and sent you off to bed. I ended up falling asleep with you because you were acting helpless or something. That's all."

Shizuo frowned and turned back to his breakfast. "Funny… I thought something else had happened." Izaya froze, holding tightly onto his chopsticks. "Maybe I'm just imagining things…"

"Oh, so now Shizu-chan is delusional?" he remarked, trying to change the subject. "You better not have injured my head…"

"Like there's anything important up there…" Shizuo snorted.

"There's actually a bunch of important stuff up in my head!" Izaya shot back, actually relieved that the subject change had worked. "For example, I need everything in there for my job!"

"Whatever…" Shizuo snorted, turning back to his food. Suddenly, he paused as a though came to mind. "Wait… Job… My job!" He turned back to Izaya in a panic. "Did you call Tom today?"

"I just woke up, you idiot!" Izaya snapped. "Do you think I magically made a call in a matter of seconds?"

"Then call him now!" Shizuo growled, now inches away from Izaya's face.

"Okay, okay…" Izaya sighed, taking Shizuo's cell phone from his pocket. "If you insist…" The informant started to scroll through the contact list when the phone started to ring in his hand. "Speak of the devil…" He pressed the talk button and put it up to his ear. "Moshi moshi. Ah, Tom-san!"

"Speaker phone," Shizuo mouthed and the informant complied.

"Good morning, Tom-san," Izaya smiled, setting the phone down on the island counter. "How are you?"

"Well-rested," Tom replied. "I hope you are as well because I need you for work today."

"Uhm…" Izaya glanced at Shizuo, who nodded sharply. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just business as usual," Tom said. "Just some bums who don't bother to pay their debts. I know for certain that you can handle it."

"Ah, okay… When and where do you want me to meet you?"

"Let's meet in front of Russia Sushi in half an hour," the debt collector said. "Oh and Shizuo…?"

"Yes?" Izaya answered hesitantly.

"Are you feeling sick? You haven't been acting like yourself lately…"

"I'm fine!" Izaya answered, perhaps a little too quickly. He glanced at Shizuo, who arched an eyebrow. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay…" Tom answered, unsure. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah… See ya…" Izaya sighed and snapped the phone closed, looking up at Shizuo with alarmed eyes. "What on earth should I do?"

"Getting off your ass would be a good start," Shizuo deadpanned, sending a withering glare the informant's way.

"So I'm magically supposed to know how to do your job and how to act like you?" Izaya snorted. "Thanks a lot, jackass…"

Shizuo flicked Izaya on the temple, earning a glare. "Just shut up and listen to me for once, will you? This is last minute, yes, but I can't risk my job just because Shinra decided to screw with crazy shit again. I want you to do my job for me…"

"Once again, _how_?"

Shizuo glared at the informant but continued regardless. "But I'll be helping you out in the background, okay? Consider it my lesson for the day."

"Fine…" Izaya pouted. "But I still hate you."

"Surprise, surprise…" Shizuo rolled his eyes. "Now get your ass moving. We only have half an hour."

"Fine," the informant rose from his seat with a huff, sticking his tongue out at the bodyguard. "You're so bossy, Shizu-chan!"

Shizuo replied simply by giving Izaya the bird and the informant indignantly stomped away, still cursing Shizuo's existence. The bodyguard watched as Izaya left the apartment, shaking his head as he searched around for the coffee maker. Damn flea had to have one somewhere…

While searching for said coffee maker, he spied Izaya from the kitchen window and felt relieved when he saw the informant heading towards Ikebukuro. Lucky flea; since he now had Shizuo's strength, he could walk any distance. Shizuo, on the other hand, had to take the freaking bus… again. He sighed as he fired up the coffee maker; after all, he _was_ planning to follow behind Izaya but enough so they wouldn't be seen together. People were bound to become suspicious if they saw them being chummy.

As the coffee began to brew, Shizuo searched the cabinets for a travel cup of some sort. Hey, he couldn't go without his coffee especially if he was going to deal with the flea all day. Once the drink was done, he poured the liquid into the cup and began to make his way to the front door. As he walked through the living room, his eyes couldn't help but wander over to the door of the bedroom. What _had _happened last night? He couldn't remember much and Izaya seemed like he was purposefully skirting around the subject whenever it came up.

Shizuo shook his head and walked out the door, blowing the thought off. He could ask the damn flea later; he had better things to think about now.

"You'd better not screw up my job, flea…" he growled to himself as he walked to the bus stop. "If you do, I will personally end you…"

**A note on Izaya's Usa-chan: I came up with Usa-chan while thinking this chapter over. I view Izaya as the kind of person who wants to appear strong on the outside, which he does by belittling others and being in control of all sorts of information. However, I think that on the inside, Izaya is probably a weak and scared person, hence his dislike of vulnerability (foreshadowing, anyone?). In fact, if there was one character in this series that I guess would go crazy, it would be him. Izaya's a very interesting person to dissect mentally and psychologically so I'll be having fun playing with his character in the next few chapters. D **


	11. Chapter 11

**So now Izaya has to deal with doing Shizuo's job. Let's see if he botches it or not! **

Chapter 11

"Where the hell is he…?" Izaya growled to himself, waiting out in front of Russia Sushi. "Stupid Shizu-chan… You said you would be here…"

"Shizuo, there you are!"

Izaya turned around to see Tom approaching, the debt collector raising a hand in greeting. The informant took a deep breath and waved at Tom, putting on his best Shizuo-face.

"G-good morning, Tom-san," he greeted, smiling slightly. _Where the hell are you, protozoan? _"So, uh… where are we going to start today?"

"There's some bum a few blocks away that's been borrowing money from us off and on," Tom explained as they started to walk away from the restaurant. "We've visited him before. I'm sure you remember."

"Oh… oh!" Izaya chuckled nervously. _Shit! What do I do now? _"Th-that guy! Of course I remember! Wasn't he the one with the… um… the face…?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Uh… They've all had faces, Shizuo…"

_Oh that was bad… _Izaya cursed to himself. _Okay… Okay… Dig yourself out of a hole now… _He then felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and he pulled the dinky orange gadget out, looking at the screen. His eyebrows arched in surprise; a new text message? From who? He opened the message and read the text.

_Don't you dare start to freak out now, flea. If you screw up, I will disembowel you on the spot. _

Izaya froze and stared at the message. _Sh-Shizu-chan…? _He looked around and saw Shizuo watching him from a dark alley. The bodyguard frowned at him and motioned for him to read the rest of the message.

_I'll be giving you instructions through texting. If Tom asks, just tell him that you're talking to Kasuka. By the way, the man Tom mentioned is Takahiro Yoshida._

"Got a text?" Tom asked and Izaya looked up from the phone.

"Yeah… Just Kasuka," Izaya lied, slipping the phone into his pocket. "So, Yoshida's place, right?"

"Exactly," Tom smiled. "I'm glad you remembered; you seem like you've been slipping lately."

"Just recovering from being a bit sick, that's all," Izaya said casually as they walked along. He caught Shizuo watching them from the corner of his eye. The bodyguard looked extremely relieved and a small smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth. Izaya smiled and quickly flashed the bodyguard a thumbs-up.

So far, so good.

They were eventually at the apartment complex where Yoshida lived and Izaya could see Shizuo lurking in the alley nearby, the furred hood of his jacket pulled over his face. The bodyguard nodded at the informant, a sign of good luck, and Izaya followed Tom into the building.

As the debt collector went to talk with the receptionist, the phone in Izaya's pocket vibrated again and he grabbed it, opening the text message in seconds.

_You look nervous._

_ Of course I'm nervous! _Izaya fiercely typed. _Our cover depends on this!_

_ You'll do fine, _was Shizuo's response. _You know how short my temper is. Once Yoshida starts to ramble on and on about why he couldn't pay the money back, start to act frustrated and then explode. Throw some furniture around, start yelling crazy shit… You know, the works._

_ Easier said than done… _Izaya typed with a snort.

"Shizuo, are you coming?" Tom asked from the reception desk.

"Sorry," Izaya apologized and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. "What room is he in?"

"403," the debt collector responded. "Slippery bastard… He's constantly changing rooms but he's never smart enough to pay off his debts."

"Ass."

"Pretty much," Tom sighed once they reached the room. "Please, Shizuo, hold back a little this time. I don't want something to happen like the last time…"

"Okay…?" Izaya furrowed his brow as Tom knocked on the door. _'Last time?' What had happened last time? _

"Mr. Yoshida! Open up!" the debt collector called. "We know you're in there!"

"Get the hell away!" the man from inside snapped back. "I wouldn't come out if you paid me!"

"That's the issue…" Tom muttered under his breath. "We're always giving him money…" He went back to address Yoshida again. "Listen, we just need you to pay up, okay? If you just cooperate, I promise nothing bad will happen."

"Bullshit!" Yoshida cried. "That crazy partner of yours put me in a neck brace last time!"

Izaya blinked at the door. Oh… So _that _was what happened…

Tom sighed and turned to Izaya. "He's not going to open the door. Would you like to do the honors?" He stepped away from the door, giving Izaya a wide berth.

"Sure," the informant said and lifted a leg, kicking the door down in one swift motion.

From inside, Yoshida squealed like a little girl and tried to squeeze himself under his bed. "I'm not home! Go away!"

Tom sighed and shook his head, walking into the apartment. "I wish people could figure out that if they paid their debts, this wouldn't have to happen…" He looked at Yoshida's rather large ass, which was having a hard time fitting underneath the man's bed. "Look, just pay up already. It wouldn't have to be this bad if you could just stop spending all the money we loan you on booze and cigarettes…"

"Listen, man!" Yoshida cried, poking his face out from under the bed. "I would if I could! But you know, my sister's sick and I need…"

"You used that excuse last time."

"W-well… My girlfriend had to have surgery and…"

"Used that one the time before last."

"My girlfriend's dog…?"

"That one's old too."

Yoshida looked completely lost for words and his eyebrow was furrowed heavily as he tried to think of an excuse he hadn't used before. Izaya rolled his eyes; were all of these people just plain stupid? As the in-debt man started going through excuses, Izaya remembered what Shizuo had told him and began to twitch his eyebrow as if he were frustrated.

_Time to let out my inner-Shizu-chan… _he paused mid-thought and suppressed a shudder. _I've really spent too much time with the protozoan… _

"Okay! So my mother is dying slowly of cancer and my brother is living on the streets!" Yoshida started to plead. "Not to mention that my poor grandmother is stuck all alone overseas and doesn't have enough money for a plane ticket! I spent that money all for a good reason, I swear!"

"That's a new one," Tom remarked and the other's expression brightened. "But I still need to be paid back."

"Listen, man! I already told you that I can't!"

"Would you just shut the fuck up?" Izaya snapped from the back, tightening his hands into fists for the full effect. "It's already enough that I have to deal with people like you just about every day!" Yoshida squeaked and backed up as Izaya stalked over to him. "And you know what really pisses me off about this? You don't seem to learn! We've had to come here and do this over and over! Are you _really _that stupid?"

"I…. I… I…"

"Just pay back the damn money already!" Izaya growled, glaring down at the man. "I have multiple stops after this and I haven't got all day! Pay up, scumbag!" Tom, knowing what was going to come next, decided to wait outside of the apartment.

Yoshida screamed like a five-year-old and went to dive under his bed again. Izaya had to hand it to himself; he was doing well at making this guy almost piss his pants. Now to throw heavy objects…

"Don't you even try to squirm out of this!" he roared and picked up the bed, flinging it behind him so that it flew through the window and landed on the street below. He then grabbed the crying man and picked him up by his collar, lifting him up into the air. "Pay up. NOW."

"O-okay! I'll pay you back, I swear!" Yoshida wailed, crying and flailing in Izaya's grip. "Just don't hurt meeeeee!"

Tom, now knowing that the situation had been handled, popped back into the apartment and nodded, signaling for Izaya to release the sobbing man.

"So Mr. Yoshida…" he said, holding out his hand. "I believe you owe us a little over a thousand yen…"

As the man shoved money into Tom's hand, Izaya wandered over to the broken window and looked down at the broken bed down below. Shizuo trotted into view, giving Izaya a thumbs up from below. Izaya smiled and lifted a hand in greeting.

"Shizuo, we're done here," Tom said, walking up to the other. "What are you looking at?"

Izaya froze and so did Shizuo once Tom peered out of the hole in the wall. The debt collector looked over at Izaya with a tired gaze and sighed.

"Just do what you have to do on this one," he sighed and walked away. "I'll just move onto the next 'victim.'"

Suddenly, something clicked in Izaya's brain. Wait… was Tom giving him permission to deal with Shizuo? In truth, he shouldn't have been surprised; Tom was already used to their rivalry. An evil grin twisted Izaya's lips as the gears started to turn in his mind.

_So does this mean that I get to throw things at Shizu-chan?_

From below, Shizuo frowned as Izaya disappeared from view. That flea better be coming down soon; they still had a few more stops to go. He waited patiently, watching the door for the flea. Where the hell was he?

_That's funny… _he thought as a shadow passed over-head. _It suddenly got darker… _

He looked up and saw a dresser hurtling towards him. Thinking fast, he dove out of the way.

"Izaaaayaaaaa~!"

Shizuo looked up to see Izaya standing above, waving at him. "Did you like my gift?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Shizuo yelled up at the informant and some people passing by ran for cover. "You could have killed me!"

"Tom-san gave me time to chase you around the streets," Izaya chuckled. "So that's what I'm going to do~!"

"Wait… You're not supposed to…!" Shizuo protested, backing away from the building. This was just wrong! It wasn't the natural order of things! Izaya threw a table at him, interrupting his inner-dialogue. "Flea! Stop it! This isn't funny!"

"Fufufufu~" Izaya chuckled and disappeared from sight.

Shizuo started to back away from the building, suddenly wary of his surroundings. "F-flea… This is some sort of bad joke, isn't it…?"

"Not at all~" a voice purred and Shizuo whipped around to find Izaya standing behind him, his expression akin to that of a rapist.

"How on earth did you do that?" Shizuo gasped, jumping away.

Izaya just smiled and lifted a vending machine over his head. Shizuo paled considerably; the hunter had become the hunted. Before anyone could bat an eyelash, the bodyguard's feet had grown wings and he was speeding down the street as vending machine after vending machine pummeled the pavement behind him.

"This just isn't right!" he screamed. "What is wrong with the world?"

That day, everyone made sure to flee from the streets as the two raced through, Shizuo running for his life and Izaya laughing maniacally while holding a vending machine over his head.

…

"You… are insane…" Shizuo panted from the floor of his apartment. Izaya stood over him, a devious smile on his face.

"I try, Shizu-chan~" he chuckled.

The two had ended their little "show" when Shizuo had jumped a fence and took the back way to his apartment. Izaya, who had come down from the self-induced high of "playing" with his favorite "toy," dropped the vending machine he had been holding and went back to Shizuo's apartment as if nothing had happened.

"Awww… Did I make poor little Shizu-chan tired?" Izaya teased and squatted down so that he was level with the other. "Poor little Shizu-chan~" He reached out and patted Shizuo's hair, earning a growl from the bodyguard.

"You forgot to go back to Tom, didn't you?" he sighed, not even bothering to bat the hand away.

"Oopsies~"

"I guess it doesn't really matter…" Shizuo sighed, leaning against the couch. "He usually gives up once I start to chase you around." He glanced down at the floor, feeling slightly awkward. "I guess that gives us some time alone together…"

"Y-yeah…" Izaya mumbled, flushing and looking down at the floor as well. "I guess…" He sat on the couch and looked down at the bodyguard, waiting for him to speak first.

"So… uh… I guess tomorrow you'll be walking me through your job?" Shizuo asked, not looking at the informant.

"Yeah…" Izaya muttered, too absorbed in his thoughts to listen. "Hey… um… mind if we go out for lunch or something? I'm hungry."

"Oh… Sure…" Shizuo nodded, looking up warily at the other. "Russia Sushi?"

"Sounds good," Izaya hopped up to his feet and quickly walked to the door, not really bothering to make eye contact with the bodyguard.

Shizuo frowned and got to his feet, following slowly. What the hell was this? When had Izaya become so confusing? The Izaya he knew was annoying and constantly making snide remarks. The Izaya that had just left the apartment, no, that _stranger _wasn't acting like the flea Shizuo knew. Since when did moments between them lack scalding comments and snappy arguments?

_Maybe this is just part of us getting to know each other…? _

The bodyguard shook his head and walked out of the door, lagging slightly behind Izaya. It was almost as if the informant was acting shy. But… why? It didn't have something to do with the night before, did it?

Ahead of Shizuo, Izaya's mind was also in turmoil. He didn't know what had come over him in the apartment. One moment he was teasing Shizu-chan like usual and then next he couldn't even spit out a single word, much less an insult. The change seemed to set in after Shizuo mentioned them being alone together but why would that even bug him? Shizu-chan was just Shizu-chan. Nothing had changed between them.

Izaya fingered his lips, remembering the drunken kiss from the night before. Nothing had changed… right? They still hated each other, right? Suddenly, the informant who seemed to know everything wasn't so sure of that now. Ever since that small, meaningless kiss, Izaya found that whenever he got too close to the bodyguard his stomach would twist itself in knots. It was all confusing but what trouble him the most was that he didn't know _why _it was happening.

_Just don't think about it, _he told himself. _What happened last night was meaningless. You're making a big deal out of nothing. _

He nodded his head slightly as he walked along. Yes, that was it; it was nothing. Nothing had happened and nothing was going to change. They were going to work together for the time being and switch back to their respective place. That was all they needed to do.

And not to mention, they still hated each other.

Right?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"You haven't touched your food…"

Izaya looked up at Shizuo, snapping out of his thoughts. For a while, he was so lost in his own mind that he forgot about where he was and who he was with. They were sitting in a booth at Russia Sushi, ignoring the people staring at them as they ate.

Well, as Shizuo ate. Izaya didn't even bother to pick up his chopsticks.

"O-oh…" Izaya muttered, not looking up at Shizuo as he reached for his chopsticks. "Itadakimasu…"

"Is there something wrong?" the bodyguard asked.

"I'm fine," Izaya murmured, picking up some ootoro. "I was just thinking, that's all…"

Shizuo frowned but questioned him no further. Izaya sighed and prodded a piece of sashimi with his chopsticks. He needed, _wanted_ to stop thinking about the twisting feeling in the pit of his stomach but he couldn't get rid of the thoughts swirling around in his head. He set his chopsticks down and rubbed his temples, trying to will those feelings away.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Oh, is Shizu-chan worried about me~?" Izaya smirked, trying to bring everything back to normal.

"Of course not!" Shizuo snapped, looking away. "I'm only concerned because you're in my body. You need to keep it intact until we switch back."

"Right~" Izaya chuckled, popping another piece of tuna into his mouth. That was it, everything felt like normal again. He could still taunt Shizuo and the bodyguard would still fire a remark back. But then why did he feel slightly hurt at what the other said to him? He shook his head. _No… Can't think about that now… _"Are you going to be ready for tomorrow, Shizu-chan?"

"Mmm? Oh yes, I have to do your job tomorrow, don't I?" the bodyguard sighed. "I believe I'll be as ready as I'll ever be. I don't know how you're able to deal with yakuza bosses…"

"It's simple really," the informant said. "I just have to relay the right information and show no signs of weakness or vulnerability. The yakuza are dangerous people to work with… but they know how dangerous I am as well."

"…You're such a creep…"

Izaya chuckled, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Ah, but I could be a lot worse~"

"God help us all if that came to be…" Shizuo snorted and Izaya cackled, a wolfish grin on his face.

Everyone near the two stared warily at the laughing man but said nothing, afraid to stir up trouble with the man who looked like the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro. Izaya, of course, ignored them all. He finally felt like everything was back to normal between them. He could now easily go back to the taunts and the arguments…

_Nothing is going to change, _he assured himself. _Nothing at all…_

…

"So… tiiirreedddd…" Izaya groaned, flopping onto the floor once they got back to Shizuo's apartment.

"Get off my floor, flea," Shizuo snarled, nudging him with his foot. "I don't want to have to clean the carpet to get rid of your flea-stench."

"But I don't wanna mooveeee…" Izaya whined from the floor.

"Fine," Shizuo snorted and started to walk away. "I'll just take the comfy bed and you can stay here."

Izaya frowned and glared up at Shizuo, watching as the man started to walk away. He rolled over and grabbed Shizuo's ankle, trying to hold him in place.

"Nooooooooo… Don't leave me, Shizu-chaaaaaan~" he giggled, suddenly feeling the urge to get on the bodyguard's nerves. "Sound familiar?"

"Not at all," the bodyguard snapped, trying to rip his ankle out of Izaya's grasp. "Dammit flea! Let go!"

"Of course you don't remember!" Izaya chuckled from the floor. "You were drunk off your ass! Do you want me to remind you of what you sounded like?"

"Flea, I don't have time for this…"

"Oh, Izaya~! I am so, so, so lonely!" Izaya wailed dramatically, doing his best to imitate Shizuo. "I need someone as charismatic and as irresistible as you! Please, oh please, don't leave me alone! I'll just keel over and die if you do!"

"I highly doubt that I said that," Shizuo growled. "And I don't sound like a hormonal teenage girl!"

Izaya responded in a mature fashion which was to stick his tongue out at the bodyguard.

"I'm not even going to ask about what _really _happened…" Shizuo grumbled and Izaya's fingers loosened slightly. The bodyguard ripped his ankle away and walked to his room, not saying another word to the informant.

Izaya sighed and spread himself out on the floor. Fine. Shizu-chan could just be that way; he could be cold and uncaring towards him. Frankly, Izaya didn't care at all! But Shizuo could be a little more sympathetic towards a guest in his home and a little more caring…

"Gaaah! Shut up, mind!" Izaya groaned, grabbing his head and tearing at his hair in frustration. _I really have to stop thinking about this kind of stuff… _He started to draw circles in the carpet with his index finger, now deep in thought. _But… how do I feel about Shizu-chan? There has got to be a simple answer to this…_

He was suddenly pulled out of thought by something hitting the ground next to him. A… futon…? He looked up to see Shizuo standing over him, dragging another traditional Japanese futon behind him.

"What are you…?"

"Do you want a bed to sleep in, flea?" the bodyguard suddenly asked and the informant nodded slowly. "Then I suggest you don't ask any questions."

Izaya moved from his position on the floor and watched as Shizuo arranged the traditional futons on the floor, completely at a loss for words. Shizuo shed the jacket from his shoulders and started to climb into bed, ignoring Izaya's presence.

"…I'm confused…" the informant mumbled.

"I set out a bed for you, so go to sleep, flea," Shizuo growled, not bothering to roll over and face the other. "And you brag about having superior intelligence…"

Izaya blinked and slowly removed his vest and the bow tie around his neck. He set the sunglasses down on a small end table and slowly slipped into the second futon, glancing at Shizuo warily.

"Thanks…" he whispered, drifting off to sleep before bothering to hear a reply.

Shizuo sat up slowly, watching as the informant slept. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, shifting his eyes away from the flea. What had come over him? He shouldn't have been acting like this around the damn flea; it just wasn't right. He pulled his knees up close to his chest and glared at Izaya from the corners of his eyes. Stupid flea… This was all his fault.

_Why the hell did he have to come into my life? _Shizuo thought to himself. _Every time he inches into the picture, something always goes wrong. He's a walking disaster, that's what he is… _

Izaya rolled over with a soft indiscernible mumble, facing Shizuo as some blonde locks fell into the informant's eyes. The bodyguard reached out and brushed the hair out of Izaya's eyes, gently stroking the other's forehead as he did so.

_If I hate him so much, why do I feel this way…? _

The bodyguard whispered a curse under his breath and laid back down, facing away from the informant. He closed his eyes and hoped that when he woke up in the morning, all those feelings boiling up inside of him would be gone.

Hopefully, forever.

…

The next morning, Shizuo awoke to sunlight filtering through his windows. He blinked his eyes a couple of times to get everything into focus and yawned, wrinkling his nose at how musty his breath tasted. The bodyguard went to sit up and found an arm wrapped around his waist. Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned his head slowly to look over his shoulder and saw Izaya pressed up against him, _spooning _him.

"Get off!" Shizuo snapped and pushed the sleeping informant away, the other man rolling over with a tired mumble. Stupid flea…

He should've known something like this would have happened. Why did he take pity on the piece of slime anyways? Shizuo sat up and leaned over Izaya, glaring at the informant.

"This is all your fault…" he growled. "I hate you, flea."

Izaya remained asleep, his face peaceful. Shizuo frowned as he gazed upon the face of the other and quickly got to his feet. Stupid, stupid, stupid flea…

_Maybe making breakfast will get my mind off of things… _he thought as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of instant ramen cups. "I really need to stock up on more food…" He shrugged; ramen would do and if the flea didn't like it, then he didn't have to eat. After filling the cups with water, he threw them in the microwave and leaned against the counter as he waited. After a couple of minutes, he pulled the cups out of the microwave and set them on the counter, waiting as they cooled.

"Mmmm… Shizu-chan…?"

Shizuo glanced over at the doorway to see Izaya leaning against the frame, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Glad to see you're awake," the bodyguard muttered, grabbing some chopsticks and his cup of ramen. "This is breakfast. Enjoy."

Izaya walked over to the counter, looking at his cup of ramen as if it were an alien life form. "Cup o'ramen… Really, Shizu-chan?"

"I don't have much else," Shizuo snorted as he pushed past the informant and into the living room. "It's either that or you don't get any breakfast."

Izaya sighed and grabbed his cup, pulling some chopsticks out from a drawer. He followed the bodyguard into the living room and joined him on the couch, the two remaining silent as they ate. The informant looked over at the bodyguard and frowned; Shizuo had made sure to put himself on the far end of the couch. That was normal wasn't it? After all, it meant that Shizuo still hated him and that was fine.

_Don't start acting like a hormonal teenager, _he told himself. _It shouldn't bother you at all. It's completely and totally normal._

"Shizu-chan…"

"What do you want now, flea?" Shizuo growled, not looking at the informant.

"We have to go to Shinjuku soon," Izaya muttered. "I have to teach you how to be an informant, remember?"

"Oh… yeah…" Shizuo sighed, shoving another chopstick-full of noodles into his mouth. "After breakfast then?"

"Preferably."

"Good," the bodyguard snorted and glanced over at Izaya. "Well? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and eat."

"Don't want me starving~?" Izaya smirked, settling back into his usual taunting routine. "Why, Shizu-chan, I didn't know how much you cared!"

"Sh-shut up…" Shizuo scoffed, looking away from the informant.

Izaya chuckled to himself, smirking down at Shizuo until he saw the red dusting the bodyguard's cheeks. Suddenly, he felt something warm drop into his stomach and looked away, trying to fight the blush that was climbing onto his own cheeks.

_Ignore it, _he told himself as he ate his ramen. _Ignore those butterflies in your stomach… they mean nothing. Nothing at all…_

…

"Ah, home!" Izaya sighed when they entered his apartment in Shinjuku. "It feels so good to be home!"

Shizuo rolled his eyes as the informant raced forward and dived over the back of the couch, landing on the cushions with expert timing.

"I love you, couch…"

"You know, this only convinces me even more that you are a five-year-old trapped in a twenty-three-year-old's body," Shizuo snorted, shaking his head.

Izaya rose his head from the cushions briefly to stick his tongue out at the bodyguard and then retreated back to them, pressing his face against the black fabric. Shizuo could only respond by shaking his head and walked over to Izaya's desk, taking a seat at his computer.

"Hmmmm… Namie's not here…" Izaya suddenly muttered from the couch.

"Probably for the best," Shizuo said, turning on the computer. "She'd be surprised to see both of us here."

"True, true…" Izaya purred. "Have you gotten any texts or e-mails from anyone yet?"

"Not yet," Shizuo responded and felt the cell phone in his pocket vibrate. He pulled the phone out and opened the text message. "Hold that thought… I just got one." He scanned the message and turned toward Izaya. "Who's Shiki?"

Izaya sprung up from the couch and raced over to the desk, grabbing the phone from Shizuo's hand. "Shiki? Must be something to do with the yakuza…"

"Yakuza?" Shizuo questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised…?"

"What can I say?" Izaya sighed. "When you're an informant, you have to deal with a vast array of people."

"Whatever…" Shizuo snorted and took the phone from Izaya's hand. "He says he wants to do a video chat."

"Good, that's good…" the informant nodded, reaching over Shizuo to open his video chat account.

"_Good?_" Shizuo sputtered. "I still have to talk to him face to face!"

"Yes but I can still be in the building," Izaya reasoned as he set up the chat. "If he came here or if he arranged for you to meet him somewhere else, I wouldn't be able to help you. I can still talk to you in this situation."

"And what is your oh-so-ingenious plan, flea?"

"I'll relay information to you via text," Izaya explained, holding up the orange cell phone that he had been carrying since they had been switched. "I'll tell you exactly what to say and when to say it. It'll be simple."

"Oh, I'm sure it's just fool-proof…" Shizuo snarled, sarcasm dripping off his words like honey.

"Just act like me and don't show any emotion," the informant instructed him and the computer made a bleeping noise, the chat program indicating that someone was requesting to open a conversation. "There he is now. Remain calm and remember, I'll be helping you."

Shizuo nodded and Izaya skipped over to the couch, sprawling across it as he opened up Shizuo's orange cell phone. The bodyguard turned back to the computer screen and accepted the chat request, immediately opening a new window. A face of an older man appeared on the screen, his skin marred by a few scars and his eyes dark and cold. In all truth, he looked like an older and more serious version of the informant that was only a few feet away, lounging on the couch like a pampered cat.

"Good morning, Shiki-san," Shizuo greeted, trying desperately to slip into character. "I see you are doing well…"

"It is actually quite the opposite, Izaya," Shiki frowned and Shizuo swallowed a hard lump that had formed in his throat.

His phone vibrated in his lap and he looked down at the text Izaya sent him. "I assume there is a pest you need to get rid of…"

From the couch, Izaya breathed a sigh of relief. Perfect!

"Correct as always," the yakuza member nodded. "I need information on a Hide Narita."

"What has this man done to invoke your wrath, Shiki-san?" Shizuo purred, adopting a smirk much like Izaya's signature one. "Robbery? Did he step out of line?"

"Narita murdered one of my men," Shiki growled. "Once I found out, he was already out of town. I doubt he got far…"

"Let me see what I can find," Shizuo looked back down at the phone, reading Izaya's text. _Open the internet and go to the listings of Tokyo hotels. I've hacked into the registration lists too many times to count… Password is password. Those people are a bunch of retards…_

Shizuo followed the informant's instructions and hacked into the registration lists, searching for Narita's name.

_Narita, Hide… Narita, Hide… Narita Hide… _he eyes suddenly set on the name. _A-ha! _

"Narita's been moving fast," he told Shiki. "It looks like he's trying to get to Kyoto, judging by the pattern. Right now, he's in Shibuya."

"Thank you, Orihara-san," Shiki said. "Thanks to your information, we'll have the bastard by tomorrow morning."

"The pleasure was all mine…" Shizuo muttered, checking to see if Izaya had sent him anymore texts.

"Before we depart, may I ask you one last question?"

"What would that be?"

"One of my men saw you and Shizuo Heiwajima at Russia Sushi last night," the yakuza member said and Shizuo dropped the phone in shock. "Is this true?"

A few feet away, Izaya's mouth had flopped open like a dead fish. He knew he should have been more discreet! How could he have been so stupid? Immediately, he started typing away at the cell phone's keys, hammering out a response for Shizuo to use.

"I… I…" Shizuo found himself gaping at the computer screen, his brain thoroughly numbed by Shiki's words.

"Orihara-san, why haven't you answered me?" Shiki asked. "It isn't true, is it?"

"O-of course not!" Shizuo suddenly snapped and Izaya looked up from the couch, mid-type. "There is no way in hell that I would let myself be seen with that… that protozoan! I hate him!" _I hope that was convincing enough…_

Shiki looked thoughtful. "Maybe he was wrong… People can make mistakes, after all." Izaya sighed in relief, letting his body deflate on the couch. "However… It would be interesting if you and Heiwajima started to interact positively…"

"It holds no interest to me," Shizuo snorted, glaring at the screen. "I apologize, Shiki-san, but I have to attend to something else at the moment. I expect my pay in the next 24 hours. Goodbye~" Moving fast, he exited the chat and turned off the computer, sighing in relief as he turned the chair around.

The sound of clapping filled the apartment and Shizuo looked over at Izaya, who was smirking at him as he applauded. "Bravo, Shizu-chan~! Apparently, acting runs in the family!"

"That… was too close for comfort…" Shizuo breathed, rising from the chair and walking over to the couch.

"But you did it!" Izaya exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "And you were wonderful!"

"Guess I was, wasn't I?" Shizuo chuckled, a bright and genuine smile gracing his face.

"Hey, you smiled!" Izaya teased, elbowing the bodyguard in the side as Shizuo took a seat.

"Shut up, flea…" Shizuo said, playfully shoving the informant as they both broke out in laughter.

Izaya pushed him back, a smile made purely of mirth on his face. Shizuo responded by leaping on him, taking Izaya to the floor as they rolled over each other.

"You know…" Izaya chuckled from underneath the bodyguard. "I've never seen you smile like that before."

"Really?" Shizuo asked, gasping for breath from laughing so hard. "Then again we haven't had the best relationship, so I can see why."

"I think… I think I prefer to see you smiling," Izaya smiled up at Shizuo and the bodyguard froze. He had never seen such a genuine smile from the flea before; he had only seen a taunting smirk on the informant's lips. The mere thought of that smile on Izaya's actual face made him feel… strange. It wasn't a bad strange; it made him feel good, it made him feel warm, and… happy.

Without consciously knowing it, Shizuo found himself leaning down towards Izaya, their foreheads almost touching. The informant was completely still beneath him, his eyes locked on Shizuo's face. Slowly reaching up, Shizuo brushed some hair out of Izaya's eyes and the informant took a shuddering breath, placing a hand on the back of the bodyguard's neck.

"Sh-Shizu…" Izaya mumbled as their breath mingled, their lips only inches apart.

It would take only a few more until they touched…

**Yes. I ended it right there. Yes, I am evil. D In truth, it took a good amount of Disney love songs to get me to write that last part. I have no idea, don't ask. But hey, Disney songs are good for inspiring romance scenes! Thank you, Disney! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Drama filler stuff! The cliff-hanger shall be resolved! **

Chapter 13

Izaya felt his stomach tighten as Shizuo got closer and closer. _Just a few more inches… _

The bodyguard suddenly froze, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I…" he muttered. "I need some time alone…"

Izaya watched, confused, as Shizuo got up and retreated to the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him. The informant blinked and then looked at the floor, sighing heavily. They were so close…

_Why on earth do I even care? _he asked himself, shaking his head furiously. _I hate Shizu-chan! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! _

His eyes drifted over to the blank TV screen, focusing on his reflection. His stomach clenched when he saw Shizuo's face staring back at him rather than his own and he quickly looked away, drawing his knees up to his chest. But the thought of the reflection haunted him and he was forced to look back at the blank screen.

"We meet again, Shizu-chan," Izaya spat at his reflection, glaring at the face that wasn't his. "What is it about you? I… I feel like going insane every time I see you, every time I talk to you. I try to get away but when I look in the mirror, you're all I see. You're always there… _Why are you always there?_" He screamed the last part at his reflection, his body shaking violently as his voice dropped to a low whisper. "I… I… don't know what's going on… What have you done to me, you monster?"

Izaya fell to the floor, pressing his face against the floor as he tried to calm himself down. _Count to ten and you'll be fine… Just don't lose your composure… _His stomach suddenly growled and he groaned along with it. _I don't feel like eating right now… _But his stomach was demanding sacrifice and the informant was forced to get to his feet and make a trip to the kitchen.

He felt slightly off-balance as he rooted through the cabinets, trying to find something to eat. Finally, he found two packs of instant udon and shrugged, indifferent; they would have to do. He slowly prepared the meals, his mind still in a fog. Why had he hoped that Shizuo had kissed him? He shouldn't have longed so much for it, especially when he knew that he wouldn't get something like that from someone like the beast.

There was just something about the bodyguard that Izaya just couldn't figure out, something that kept pulling him back every time he tried to escape like some strange gravitational pull. Every time he was near Shizuo, Izaya's heart would start to beat fast and he suddenly felt very nervous. It just wasn't normal. He was supposed to enjoy being near and taunting the bodyguard instead of acting like a teenager around their crush.

Izaya glanced at his hands. Was it because he was in the protozoan's body? No, that couldn't have been it but he was sure that their switch had something to do with these new feelings. He shook his head and snorted.

_What? Am I becoming a narcissist now? _

He paused. No… That wasn't it either. He wasn't feeling this way about Shizuo because of how the bodyguard looked but because of how the bodyguard acted. Somehow, he found Shizuo's personality a bit, dare he say it, attractive. After getting to know him for a while, he found that underneath Shizuo's tough exterior the man was actually very sensitive. The bodyguard also cared for those closest to him, like Kasuka, Shinra, Celty, and Arashi. And despite his superb strength and horrid temper, he never really wanted to harm anyone.

_Even me… _Izaya thought with a sigh.

The beeping of the microwave snapped him out of his thoughts and he pulled the udon out, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. He looked at the second one he had unconsciously prepared and pushed his aside, picking the second one up.

_I might as well take this to Shizuo… _he thought as he walked to the bedroom.

"Shizuo," he called, knocking on the door. "It's me, you know, the flea? I… um… I brought you lunch…" Silence. The informant frowned. "Shizu-chan, are you even listening?" Upon getting no response, Izaya opened the door and walked in, his feathers ruffled. "Shizuo, you dumbass, where the hell…?"

He blinked at the empty room, his words dying in his throat. He was gone. That damn bastard was _gone_. He must have slipped out while Izaya was making lunch. The informant rubbed his temples; had he really been that distracted? For some reason, his head hurt now and he felt like he couldn't think straight. He leaned against the door frame, udon still his hands and his body trembling for some unknown reason.

"I hate you, Shizuo Heiwajima…" Izaya spat as he shook. "I hate you."

…

About fifteen minutes later, Shizuo found himself standing outside of Arashi's apartment, hand raised to knock on the door. After what had happened in Izaya's apartment, he felt like he needed someone to talk to. He wasn't able to find Celty and he didn't really wish to bug her, just in case she was doing a job. That left Arashi, his second go-to when it came to advice.

He hesitated from making his hand meet wood due to the noise coming from inside the apartment. It sounded like Arashi was playing her guitar again and she hated to be interrupted. Shizuo shrugged and knocked on the door; she would understand if he popped in for a talk because she was that kind of person. However, he got no response and he frowned. He should have seen this coming; she wasn't going to answer the door if it meant to put down her guitar. Lucky for him, he knew where the spare key was.

After retrieving the key that was hidden under the doormat, Shizuo pushed the door open and saw Arashi standing in the middle of the room, her back turned to the door as she plucked the strings on her guitar. She was currently in the middle of the solo to the song "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits and seemed very occupied at the moment. Remembering how much she disliked being disturbed, Shizuo took a seat and watched as her leg bobbed up and down, keeping time as she played.

It was very relaxing to watch her play sometimes. He always noticed how her eyes always closed while she played and how her left leg was always moving. It seemed to be her way of getting into the "zone" whenever she picked up a guitar.

Eventually, the song ended and her slim, graceful fingers left the fret board as she turned to look at Shizuo. Arashi jumped a bit, obviously not knowing he was there until recently, and then bowed awkwardly in greeting.

"S-sorry!" she gasped. "I didn't hear you come in! You know how I am when I play…"

"No, that's fine," Shizuo smiled. "You were good."

"I missed a few notes…" the street-artist mumbled as she put away her guitar. "What's bugging you?"

"Flea…" the bodyguard mumbled and Arashi frowned.

"Ah, it's _that _kind of situation…" she sighed and walked to her fridge, grabbing a bottle of milk and giving it to Shizuo. "What happened now? Did he blackmail you or frame you?"

"Neither," Shizuo muttered as he took a sip and Arashi arched a brow. "It's just how he's making me feel…"

"Enlighten me."

Shizuo sighed heavily and folded his legs up into the chair he was sitting in, his eyes focusing on the floor. "I… I can't really tell what exactly it is. I've never felt it before in my entire life… Whenever I'm near him, my body gets really warm and I feel like I can't think clearly. It's not like when I was mad at him, being bull-headed and such…" he looked at his palms and sighed again. "I thought that I hated him… but now, it…"

"It doesn't feel like it," Arashi finished for him.

"Do you know what it is…?"

"I can't say," she finished. "It's something you have to figure out on your own." She reached over and took his hands, smiling softly. "Think about it for a while and decide on what you feel."

"Arashi…" the bodyguard mumbled. "Do you think we're becoming… friends…?"

"Does it feel like you're friends?" Arashi asked.

"I don't know…"

"Just think about it," the girl smiled, squeezing his hands. "If you need anything else, talk to me, okay?"

Shizuo nodded and took another sip of his milk. "Can I stay here for a while…?"

"Stay as long as you need," Arashi smiled, rising from her chair. "Give yourself some time to think. In the meantime, I'm going to make some lunch. Do you want any?"

"No thanks…" Shizuo muttered from the couch. "I'm not hungry."

Arashi shrugged and walked into the kitchen, grabbing some noodles and soaking them in water before putting them into a pot of boiling water.

"Kasuka's coming to town tomorrow," Shizuo said and Arashi looked at him from over her shoulder.

"Really?" she asked. "Does that mean Izaya will have to act as you while he's here?"

Shizuo nodded. "His sisters are coming tomorrow as well."

Arashi's eyes widened slightly and she went back to stirring the soup. "I'm not baby-sitting those two even if you get on your hands and knees and beg."

"Don't worry," Shizuo chuckled. "I won't burden you with those two." He finished off his milk and placed the bottle on a small table next to the couch and flopped onto the cushions, sighing once he was horizontal. "You won't mind if I nap here, will you?"

"Of course not," Arashi smiled and Shizuo began to drift off into a peaceful sleep. She then turned around and smiled softly at him, seeing past the face he wore. "I know you'll find what you're looking for in due time, Shizuo. Just keep pushing forward…"

…

An hour or so later, Shizuo stood outside of the door to Izaya's apartment, rubbing his eyes. He was still a bit groggy from the nap he had taken at Arashi's but he felt as if it had helped him in some way.

_Now to deal with the flea… _

He opened the door and walked in, quickly saying "Tadaima!"

No one answered. He frowned; that was funny. He could have sworn the flea was still here; it didn't make sense that Izaya would just leave.

"Izaya?" he called out. "Flea, where are you?"

Shizuo searched all over the apartment but his search for the flea came up dry. Mumbling curses under his breath, he walked into the kitchen and spotted the instant udon on the counter, a note attached to the top. The bodyguard grabbed it and read it, frowning at the writing.

_Shizu-chan…_

_ Since you left without me knowing, I thought I'd leave lunch out for you. Just heat it up in the microwave if it's cooled down at all. _

After that, there was something that had been scratched out and Shizuo couldn't discern the words left so he skipped down to the next line.

_I'll be on the roof unless I'm in the apartment when I get back._

_ You should know who this is, protozoan… _

Shizuo sighed, set down the note, and walked out of the kitchen, udon forgotten. Stupid flea… why the hell did he wander up to the roof? Shizuo paused to think about it; they _had _almost…

He shook his head as he took the stairs up to the roof. _Don't think about that! It was nothing! It was an accident! I meant nothing! _He frowned; it meant nothing but why did he keep going back to it?

_I hate the flea and he hates me, that's all there is to it. But… he left lunch out for me… Gah! That doesn't mean anything at all! _

He suppressed his thoughts once he opened the door to the roof and stepped out. Izaya stood across from him, his back turned as he stared out at the sky. The door shutting behind Shizuo alerted the informant that he was no longer alone and he looked over his shoulder, slightly surprised. Once he saw who it was, he quickly turned away.

"I saw your note," Shizuo said, cutting straight to the point. "I'm sorry I left without you knowing. I went to go talk with Arashi."

"That's nice," Izaya muttered, not looking at the man behind him.

"Is something wrong?" Shizuo asked suddenly. "You don't seem like yourself…"

"I'm fine," the informant answered quickly. "Why do you care anyways? We hate each other, remember?"

Shizuo looked at the ground. The flea _did _have a point… but regardless, this was ridiculous. "Just come back inside already, flea. We have other things to worry about."

"Ah yes…" Izaya muttered, looking back at Shizuo. "Kasuka and the twins are coming tomorrow, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are."

"Then I'd better get back to Ikebukuro," the informant said, walking over towards the door. "Mairu and Kururi will be here bright and early, so I suggest you be on your toes." As he pulled open the door, Shizuo reached out and closed it, intensely staring up at Izaya. "Excuse me…" The informant tried to pull the door open again and once again was stopped by the bodyguard. "You do know that I now have the ability to rip the door off its hinges and fling you off of this building, right?"

"You're not acting like… you…" Shizuo mumbled.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Shizu-chan…"

"You're not acting like the stupid, annoying flea you usually are!" Shizuo snapped, glaring up at Izaya. "What the hell is your problem?"

Izaya glared back him and for a second, Shizuo was taken aback. That wasn't the reaction he was used to getting. "Get out of my way…" the informant growled dangerously and Shizuo released the door, not releasing Izaya from his glare. "I'm leaving. Have a nice evening." He slammed the door hard behind him, leaving the bodyguard staring at the door.

"Shit…" Shizuo groaned, putting his head in his hands. "One step forward, two steps back…"

…

The next morning, Shizuo woke from a rather fitful sleep to the sound of someone banging heavily on his apartment door. Pulling his face from his pillow, he sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and glanced at the clock. 5:30.

"This had better be good…" he growled and marched out of the room, heading towards the door. He opened it slowly, still a bit groggy, and peered out to see who it was. "Hello…? Who is it-AUGH!"

A split-second later, he was on the floor with two twin girls sitting on top of him.

"Iza-nii!" Mairu cheered, bouncing up and down on his stomach. "It's us, Iza-nii! Aren't you happy to see us?"

"Nii-san…" Kururi mumbled, looking down at the man she and her sister had flattened.

"M-Mairu… Kururi…" Shizuo groaned from the floor, trying to regain his breath. "What the hell…?"

"We're here, we're here, we're here!" Mairu squealed, still bouncing up and down. "We're here, Izaya-nii!"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Shizuo grunted, trying to push the girls off. "Just stop jumping on me!"

The twins complied and Mairu raced off instantly, zipping around the apartment and talking fast as she went. Kururi stared at Shizuo for a few seconds and then gave him her hand, offering to help him up.

"Thanks…" he grunted as the girl pulled him up.

"Nii-san… catch…" Kururi muttered and all the bodyguard could do was stare.

"Huh?"

"She said that you usually catch us when we burst in like that," Mairu translated. "What's wrong with you this morning? You can usually understand every single word she says!"

"I… I'm still tired, that's all…" Shizuo lied. He felt like slapping himself; how could he have forgotten something as simple as that? "I just woke up."

"So lazy!" Mairu said and shook her head, causing her braids to flail around. "Ne, ne, Izaya-nii! You should make us breakfast!"

"You didn't have any before you came?"

"Of course we did!" the girl chirped. "But we want breakfast made specially by our Izaya-nii!"

"Breakfast…" Kururi muttered.

"Fine…" Shizuo sighed. "But only because I haven't had breakfast myself…"

"Yatta!" Mairu cheered and grabbed Kururi's hand, dragging her to the couch. "Tell us when breakfast is read, Izaya-nii!"

"Why do I have the feeling she just turned me into her slave…?" Shizuo groaned as he turned to the kitchen. He could already sense that it was going to be a long day.

…

In Ikebukuro, Izaya was enjoying a nice cup of tea while staring out at the humans below, grinning to himself as he watched them walk back and forth. Unlike Shizuo, he had woken up early and was fully prepared for Kasuka to show up. All that was left was to wait…

While looking out the window, Izaya spotted a violet car parking in front of the apartment complex. The door opened and a young man got out, dark sunglasses shielding his eyes. The man was well-known throughout Japan and this included the informant watching from above who knew that the man's true name was Kasuka Heiwajima.

Izaya rose as Kasuka began to climb the stairs leading to his apartment. As far as acting like Shizuo was concerned, he had it down. But interacting with Kasuka…

_I'm just going to have to play it by ear, _he thought and then he heard the young movie-star knocking on the door.

He opened the door, revealing Kasuka's indifferent face on the other side. The movie-star nodded at him and Izaya copied the movement, moving aside to let the other walk inside.

"Good morning, nii-san," Kasuka muttered as he walked in and took off his shoes at the door. "How have you been?"

"Good," Izaya answered as he closed the door. "And yourself?"

"I've been fine," the younger Heiwajima murmured, taking a seat on the couch. "I have a movie shoot in town for the next three days, so I thought I might as well see you."

"Ah…" the informant muttered and coughed awkwardly. "Are you… uhm… staying here in the meantime?"

Kasuka shook his head. "I'm staying at a hotel near the West Gate."

The room fell silent once more, Izaya finding nothing else to say. How did one even talk to this guy? It was like talking to a brick wall! Izaya sat down next to the younger Heiwajima, who had taken to staring at the adjacent wall. The informant suppressed a groan; the next three days were sure to be the longest of his life…


	14. Chapter 14

**A chapter posted in, what, two or three days? That's a new record! I swear, I'm having so much fun writing this thing, it's not even funny. I read it over and I got excited about what would happen next... even though I already have it all planned out! I just loved writing the twins in this chapter; they're so adorable yet so devious. However, I found it really hard to write Kasuka... =/ I love the guy, really I do, but his character is so FLAT. Izaya kind of gets across my frustrations with writing the younger of the Heiwajima brothers. Buuuut I think I did good enough. =) Get ready for some awesome-tastic sibling interactions!**

Chapter 14

"Iza-nii! Iza-nii! Iza-nii!"

_Dear God… Make it stop… _Shizuo groaned to himself as Mairu nudged his shoulder, moving him back and forth, back and forth.

"Iza-nii! Iza-nii!"

Shizuo rubbed his temples, his eyebrow twitching as the girl pestered him. Good Lord, that girl was a handful… Just like her big brother. All at once, the bodyguard could see how the two were related. If only he could figure out to shut her up! The twins were quiet enough while they ate but that must have been because their mouths were occupied. Once the dishes left the table, Mairu was all over the apartment again, her voice a constant assault on Shizuo's eardrums.

_Thank God Kasuka was never like this… _the bodyguard thought.

"Iza-nii! Iza-nii! _Iza-nii!_"

"What?" Shizuo snapped, glaring menacingly at the young Orihara.

Mairu recoiled, as if she had been slapped, and looked at her feet. "I was just wondering if you would play the piano for us… You didn't have to get so angry…"

Immediately, Shizuo felt guilty and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Mairu… I've just been kind of irritated over the last week."

The girl looked up at him, a bright smile back on her face and her eyes shining. "Does that mean you'll play the piano for us?"

Shizuo's face fell. Shit. The flea knew how to play the piano? Why the hell hadn't he told him?

"Kururi-nee!" Mairu called to her sister. "Iza-nii's going to play the piano for us!"

"Piano…?" the quieter girl asked, wandering over to the other two.

"G-girls… um… I don't really feel like playing right now," Shizuo lied, his voice shaky. "H-how about we go out for lunch?"

"Awwww, but Iza-nii!" Mairu protested. "You always play for us!"

"I will, I will…" Shizuo lied again, pushing the girl's towards the door. "Just not now. Does Russia Sushi sound good to you two?"

This distracted Mairu well enough. "Russia Sushi? I love that place! Don't you, Kururi-nee?"

"Love sushi…"

"What about you, Iza-nii?"

"In all truth, I think I've seen too much of the place already…" Shizuo muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Shizuo insisted, herding the two out of the apartment. "Let's get going before we miss the bus!"

Luckily, this encouraged Mairu and she grabbed Kururi's hand, dragging her to the elevator. "Come on, then! Let's go!"

Shizuo sighed in relief as he followed them to the elevator. That was a close one. If he hadn't ducked out of that like he had, his cover would have been blown. He had no idea how to play the piano. How did Izaya forget such an important piece of information, especially if the twins asked for a song every time they visited? The flea had a lot of explaining to do…

"Iza-nii, hurry up!" Mairu called from the elevator. "You already said not to miss the bus!"

"I'm coming!" Shizuo called back and rushed for the elevator, all thoughts of Izaya gone.

…

For the one time in his life, Izaya Orihara was at a complete loss at what to do. There were many times where he had gotten himself out of tight spaces; he was just that kind of person. He was the great Orihara Izaya. He could bargain with yakuza bosses and not wind up with a slit throat; he could fight with Ikebukuro's strongest man and not have a single scratch; he could organize all of the gangs to turn on each other and destroy the city without them even knowing it.

But, for the life of him, he could not figure out how to socialize with Shizuo's brother.

For the second time that day, Izaya felt like beating his head against a brick wall. This was going to be _impossible_. Kasuka Heiwajima didn't do _anything! _He always wore a blank stare and had a personality akin to that of a cardboard box. All they had done all morning was watch the news and although he was an informant, Izaya found it so freaking _boring_.

_I don't think I can take much more of this… _he thought to himself. _I have to get out and do something! _He glanced over at Kasuka. _But not without him… Dammit, Shizuo! When this is over, I'm going to kill you!_

A thought suddenly came to mind and he turned off the TV, getting to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Kasuka asked softly from the couch.

"I was thinking we could go out to lunch," Izaya answered. "It's about that time. Where do you want to go?"

Kasuka shrugged and Izaya instantly felt annoyed. _At least show some excitement… _

"There's Russia Sushi…" Izaya suggested, hoping to prompt disgusted or excited expression from his guest.

"That's fine," the actor answered, still looking indifferent.

"But…" Izaya started and then saw a slight trace of confusion on Kasuka's face. "Never mind. Russia Sushi it is!"

Kasuka nodded and followed Izaya silently out of the apartment. And thus began the longest and most uneventful walk Izaya had ever endured.

…

"Russia Sushi!" Mairu cheered once the restaurant came in sight.

"Yes… sushi…" Shizuo grunted. "Yay."

"Hurry! Let's get there fast so we don't miss getting one of the booths!" Mairu said, bouncing up and down while pulling at Shizuo's hand. "Come on!"

"Mairu, wa-GAH!" Shizuo was cut off when Mairu started dragging him and Kururi across the street, her eyes locked only on the restaurant. "Stop! Stop!"

The young Orihara, of course, did not stop and succeeded in dragging the other two all the way to the restaurant with a cry of "We're here!"

"Don't… ever… do that… again…" Shizuo panted. Damn weak flea body; he lost his breath too fast as Izaya.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Mairu cried, gesturing towards the doors. "Let's goooooo!"

"Okay, okay!" Shizuo sighed. "Just don't drag us inside."

He led the two girls and was instantly greeted by Simon. The large Russian was smiling happily as he towered over them, looking only a tad creepy.

"Izaya! Nice to be seeing you!" he smiled. "May I ask who these young ladies are?"

"These are my sisters, Mairu and Kururi," Shizuo said and immediately expected someone to cry, "Dear God, there's _more_?"

"Ah, hello, hello!" Simon greeted the girls. "How are you this day?"

"Hungry," Mairu answered bluntly and Kururi muttered something along the lines of "Fine."

"Shall I get you three a seat?" Simon asked.

"Yes, please," Shizuo nodded and then Mairu decided to pipe up.

"Can we have a booth?"

"Mairu!" Shizuo hissed. "That's rude!"

"A booth will be fine," the Russian chuckled as he led the way to their seats. "Please, please, sit and eat. Eating sushi is good for you! Makes you less violent!"

"Thank you, Simon," Shizuo sighed, shrugging off the usual speech Simon gave him. "We'll have some green tea to drink."

The sushi chef nodded and walked away, humming a tune to himself. Shizuo turned back to the girls and gasped. What the hell…?

"Mairu, what are you doing?"

Mairu had her hands firmly placed on Kururi's rather large breasts as she looked at him innocently. "What?"

"That is very inappropriate!" Shizuo scolded. "Unhand your sister right now!"

Mairu pouted and moved her hands away, crossing her arms over her chest. "You never seemed to mind before…"

Shizuo rubbed his temples again, a groan coming from his lips. These two girls were thoroughly messed up; it was all the proof he needed to tell they were related to Izaya.

"Look, just behave in here, okay?" he sighed. "I promised Simon that he could throw me out if I caused something. For some reason, I think it would apply to what you two would cause as well…"

"Fiiiiiiiiine…" Mairu whined, flopping on the table. "You're no fun…"

Shizuo groaned inwardly and mentally cursed Izaya for saddling him with these brats.

A few blocks away, Izaya sneezed suddenly. _Someone must be thinking about me…_

"Nii-san…" Kasuka said suddenly and Izaya looked over at him.

"What?"

"I was just wondering…" the actor mumbled. "Are you happy with your life?"

Izaya paused. Was Shizuo happy with his life? He had no idea, he barely knew the guy. Well, he was a bit angsty but that didn't really mean he hated life… Didn't mean he loved it either…

Poo.

"I… I guess…" Izaya said, adlibbing. "My job's good, I have some good friends, and a brother that cares about me. What's not to be happy about?"

"Have you ever thought of settling down?" Kasuka asked.

That halted Izaya's train of thought pretty fast. _What? _"Settling down? You mean like meeting a pretty girl, getting married, and having babies?"

Kasuka nodded.

Izaya paused. He couldn't really picture Shizuo settling down, especially anytime soon; he didn't seem like that kind of person. But for some reason, the thought of Shizuo courting and marrying a beautiful woman made him feel sick. _He's _mine_… My Shizu-chan… _

He stopped himself. _What the hell was that? _My _Shizu-chan? What am I thinking…?_

"Nii-san?" Kasuka asked. "Shizuo…?"

"I… No," Izaya answered, trying to keep from shaking. "I guess I haven't thought of that." _And I never will, ever again… _

"Ah… I see…"

"Why do you ask?"

Kasuka stopped suddenly and Izaya thought he could see an embarrassed expression on the actor's normally blank face.

"I… I'm getting married," the younger Heiwajima muttered, looking up at Izaya. "I'm getting married to Ruri Hijiribe. She's been my girlfriend for a while now…"

Izaya stared at the actor, left in complete shock. Kasuka mistook the silence for disapproval and he bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he apologized. "I should have told you sooner."

"No, no, that's great!" Izaya said quickly. "I… I can truthfully say that your brother is very proud of you."

Kasuka rose from his bow slowly and smiled at the informant, the smile small yet genuine. "Thank you, nii-san." They continued to walk along and after a bit of silence, Kasuka spoke up again. "I'd like for you to come to the wedding. I want you to be my best man."

Izaya smiled at Shizuo's brother, immediately feeling jealous of all that the bodyguard had in his life. "That would be great…"

The two finally reached Russia Sushi and Izaya let Kasuka enter first, trying his hardest to act brotherly. He followed close behind and bumped into the younger Heiwajima, who had stopped suddenly.

"What the f-?" Izaya held his tongue; that probably wouldn't be the best thing say. "Uh… I mean, what's going on?"

"Promise me you won't throw anything," was all Kasuka said.

"Eh? Why?" Izaya asked, now endlessly confused.

Kasuka responded by pointing to a nearby booth which contained the familiar figure of…

Shit…

Izaya could have punched himself. How many times was he going to run into Shizu-chan at this place? As he stared at Shizuo, the other sensed he was being watched and looked up, freezing upon seeing the other.

Double shit.

From where they were, Izaya could tell that Shizuo was trying to figure out a way to deal with their current situation. After a few minutes, the bodyguard decided to look down at the table as if nothing had happened.

_Good choice, _Izaya thought. _Attention won't be drawn now…_

However, the universe seemed to have other plans because, just like her brother, Mairu was a very observant person. She had seen Shizuo look up and then quickly look back down and this sparked curiosity in her young mind.

"Ne, Iza-nii, what were you looking at?" she asked.

"Nothing," Shizuo answered, a bit too quickly for Mairu's taste.

The middle-schooler frowned and looked where Shizuo had been looking. In seconds, her jaw promptly flopped open. Yuuhei Hanejima was in Russia Sushi, only a few feet away from her. Now, most of the people in the restaurant hadn't bothered to mention Kasuka since Izaya, trapped in the body of the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro, was hovering protectively near the actor. However, Mairu wasn't like most people and definitely wasn't afraid of what someone like the strongest man in Ikebukuro could do to her.

"Kururi-nee, look!" she gasped, pointing at Kasuka. "It's Yuuhei Hanejima!"

Shizuo, Izaya, and Kasuka all froze at the same time.

Triple shit.

"Mairu!" Shizuo hissed. "Shut up!"

"But… Iza-nii! It's Yuuhei!" Mairu protested. "I have to talk to him!"

"No, you don't! There's no need to harass him!"

"Let's just go this way…" Izaya whispered to Kasuka, trying to lead him to a booth on the other side of the restaurant.

"Look, Shizuo's with him!" Mairu squealed and stood up, cupping her hands over her mouth to make her voice carry. "Shizuo-san! We'll help you kill our brother if you let us talk to Yuuhei!"

Izaya froze in his tracks and Shizuo suddenly felt the urge to high-tail it out of there. After what happened a couple of days before, he wasn't going to take chances with the informant. Izaya slowly turned around to look at the three, his face blank. Shizuo felt his stomach sink and tried to anticipate which object Izaya would throw first: the barstool or a nearby table.

"Isn't this a coincidence…" Izaya noted. "I didn't expect to see any of you here."

"We were just leaving…" Shizuo spat through his teeth, glaring at the girls.

At that point, Shizuo decided the world must have hated him because Simon came out with their orders of sushi.

"Here you go!" the man laughed. "Eat! Sushi good!"

"Thanks, Simon…" Shizuo growled as Simon spotted Izaya.

"Ah, Shizuo!" Simon greeted Izaya. "Nice to see you! You brought a guest, I see. Shall I get you a table?"

"No need, Simon," Izaya smiled and looked over at Shizuo. "I'll just sit here for now."

The entire restaurant seemed to lapse into silence. In fact, it seemed like the entire world had stopped. Shizuo Heiwajima and Izaya Orihara sitting with each other of their own free will without wrecking the entire city? It seemed like the impossible! But it was happening.

So as some patrons paid for their meals and left to prepare for the apocalypse, Izaya took a seat next to the twins and motioned for Kasuka to sit next to Shizuo. After all, he didn't think Shizuo would appreciate him seating Kasuka next to the twins; Mairu would probably molest the poor man. After he ordered drinks for Kasuka and himself, he turned to Shizuo with a small smirk on his face.

"Fancy meeting you here," he chuckled. "What are you up to?"

"I've been doing what I do best," Shizuo spat back. "You know, acting like an asshole."

Izaya glared at the man across from him. Dammit, what was his problem? At least now, Shizuo could spend time with his brother. But no, Shizu-chan had to act like a menstruating woman…

"That's… nice…" the informant growled, obviously irked.

Kasuka glanced nervously between the two and turned to Izaya. "Nii-san, we don't have to sit here. We can move…"

"No, I'm fine here," Izaya assured him and turned his gaze back to Shizuo. "Just fine…"

…

"That… was the worst lunch I've ever had…" Shizu groaned once they got back to the apartment.

"What do you mean, Iza-nii?" Mairu asked, tilting her head to the side. "Yuuhei was there! Look! He even signed my handkerchief! It was the best lunch ever!"

"Yuuhei… attractive…" Kururi muttered.

"Yes! He is very adorable!"

"Okay, that's enough…" Shizuo sighed. It was so creepy to hear them talk about his brother like that. "Why don't you two go watch TV or something?"

"You're not going to play a song for us?" Mairu asked, looking crestfallen. Damn, she hadn't forgotten…

"I can't," Shizuo said. "I have work to do." It wasn't a lie; he _did _have work to do… but he also wanted to skirt around the piano thing.

"Awww… okay…" Mairu sulked and flopped on the couch with a groan. Kururi followed silently, not making quite a scene as Mairu had.

Shizuo sighed in relief and walked over to Izaya's desk, taking a seat at the computer. How on earth did the flea deal with his sisters, especially Mairu? It wasn't even worth thinking about. He decided to focus on the work that had befallen him in Izaya's stead rather than think about the twins. Besides, there was a client who needed information on an ex-member of a yakuza group in Shibuya and he needed to do all the research he could…

"Izaya-nii…?"

"Not now, Mairu," Shizuo muttered. "I'm working."

"Important…" Kururi mumbled.

"Very important," Mairu nodded.

"What is it, girls?" Shizuo sighed, turning to face them. "I have important things to do so make it qui-Hey, what's wrong?"

Both girls had tears in their eyes and looked very worried. Shizuo got up from the desk and walked over to them, squatting down so that he was eye-level with the two.

"What is it?" he asked, this time with a more concerned and comforting tone. "What's going on?"

"You seem different, Iza-nii," Mairu sniffled. "Very different. You're acting like you don't even have time for us. We really, really wanted to come see us but you won't even pay attention…"

Instantly, Shizuo felt guilty. He had been so wrapped up in dealing with Izaya that he forgot about the flea's sisters. He felt lucky that he had a younger sibling as well; it helped in these sorts of situations.

"Hey, hey… look at me," he said, wiping the twins' tears away. "I'm sorry I haven't paid that much attention to you, especially on the first day you two have been in town. I want you two to know that your big brother loves you very much, no matter what, okay?"

"Okay…" Kururi sniffled.

"I thought… I thought it was something about dad…" Mairu sniffled, wiping her eyes as she embraced Shizuo.

"Dad…?" Shizuo murmured. Izaya's… _father? _What did he have to do with any of this? Just another thing to ask the flea, he supposed.

"It's not about dad, is it?" Mairu asked, looking very concerned.

"No, it's not," the bodyguard sighed, holding the sniffling twins close. "I'll be fine, I promise." He paused and titled both their chins up to look at him, wiping their tears away. "How about we go out for ice cream?"

Their faces lit up immediately and Mairu squeezed Shizuo tightly.

"Really? _Really?_" she squealed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem…" Shizuo gasped, the breath getting squeezed out of him.

"Come on, Kururi-nee!" Mairu cheered, grabbing her twin's hand and dragging her out of the apartment. "Ice cream, ice cream!"

Shizuo smiled to himself as he followed the girls, happy that he had calmed them down. At first, he had thought that they were insane little monsters, just like their brother. But now, he had been shown that they were truly sweet, kind, and caring, especially towards Izaya.

_I wonder if he's like that… _Shizuo thought. _In fact, I wonder if his entire family is like that… _That thought brought him back to what Mairu had mentioned earlier. _Izaya's father… Why would Izaya be upset about his father? Maybe they're not on good terms…? _

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Mairu yelled at him.

"Iza-nii! Hurry up!" she cried. "You promised!

"Promise… ice cream…" Kururi muttered, nodding in agreement.

"I'm coming," Shizuo chuckled and caught up to them, the girls latching onto his hands instantly. Suddenly, there was this warm, fuzzy feeling inside of him and he felt like that no matter what happened, he would never let go of those hands. These girls, they were truly something…

…

_That was the best lunch ever… _Izaya chuckled to himself in Shizuo's apartment, sprawled on the bodyguard's bed. Having lunch with Shizu-chan had been so much fun! It was hilarious how the bodyguard's face turned red every time Izaya egged him on. The best part was that Kasuka was there so Shizuo certainly couldn't have jumped across the table and throttled the flea…

Well, he thought he couldn't. He had forgotten that he could pin such things on Izaya, being in the informant's body and all. That made Izaya absolutely ecstatic. He knew that no matter the circumstance, Shizuo wouldn't act out with Kasuka around. It was just priceless!

"Nii-san?"

Izaya looked up to see Kasuka standing in the doorway of his bedroom.

"Yeah…?"

"Don't you usually visit Tsujimura-san on Friday nights?" Kasuka asked. "Did you cancel for tonight?"

Huh…? Izaya sat up, feeling completely confused. Shizuo went over to Arashi's on Fridays? Why hadn't the protozoan told him that?

"Um… I… I forgot!" he lied, coming up with a good cover story. "I was so wrapped up in everything that has been going on that I completely forgot about that! Thanks for reminding me!" He jumped off the bed and began to walk out. "I'll just be heading off now…"

"Wait," Kasuka suddenly said and Izaya stopped in his tracks. "I just want to know… what is Tsujimura-san to you?"

Izaya stopped to think; what _did _Shizuo think of Arashi? Sure, they were good friends and hung out a lot but that didn't mean anything… did it? His heart began to race and he could feel his face turning red; Shizuo and Arashi… together? Well… it was possible… but that wasn't fair! There was no way…

_What the hell is wrong with me? _he thought, feeling like slapping himself. _I am _not _jealous! _

"I… um… she's… just a friend," Izaya muttered, not looking back at Kasuka. "Just a friend…"

"I see," Kasuka nodded. "Nevertheless, please, nii-san… don't be afraid of getting close to someone. Don't be afraid of hurting people. I know you've been that way ever since what happened to that woman…"

_Woman? What woman? _Izaya thought but didn't ask any questions. "I… I see. Thank you, Kasuka…"

He left the apartment quickly, shutting the door firmly behind him. Dammit! Damn that insightful brother of Shizuo's! Why the hell did he make him think of these things?

"I won't live through the next two days," he groaned. "I'm going to go insane…" _Shizuo, you idiot… I hate you so much right now… _"Maybe I should go see Arashi…"

A short walk later, Izaya found himself standing outside of Arashi's apartment, hand raised to knock against the door. Before he could signal his arrival, the door was flung open and he was face to face with Arashi Tsujimura.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, glaring daggers at him.

"I just wanted to talk to you," Izaya insisted, holding up his hands in defense. "I'm not going to cause any trouble."

Arashi narrowed her eyes at him but allowed him to enter. "I'm only doing this because I'm helping you and Shizuo."

"How did you know it was me?" Izaya asked as he sat on her couch.

"I smelled the scent of a scumbag, so I immediately knew you were here," she spat, putting her hands on her hips. "Why are you here?"

"Funny, I thought you could read minds…"

"I can read tarot cards, predict the future, and see auras but, sadly, I can't read minds, Orihara. So, hurry up and explain to me why you're here."

"Kasuka told me Shizuo comes here every Friday," the informant sighed. "I thought I might as well talk to you."

"About what?" Arashi sighed, taking a seat in her armchair across from him. She grabbed a glass of water and began to drink it as he talked.

"Do… do you and Shizuo have something going on that I don't know about?"

The street artist choked on her drink and did a spit-take, coughing hardly before looking up at him. "Wh-what? Where the hell did you get _that _idea?"

"W-well… You two seem like really good friends and I just thought that maybe…" To Izaya's surprise, Arashi started to laugh. "Um… Is there something I'm missing…?"

"That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time," she chuckled. "Izaya, we're just _friends_. There's nothing going on _at all_."

"B-but… I thought…" Izaya sighed and rubbed his temples. "I am so confused…"

"I don't know why you'd even ask that question…" Arashi giggled and then her expression turned serious. "There… is a reason why you asked that, right?"

Izaya bit his lip. "That's part of why I came here… I've been feeling strange lately."

"How so?"

"I don't know how to describe it…" the informant sighed. "My body will get hot and I'll feel short of breath. I can't even think straight at times…"

"When does this sort of thing happen?" Arashi asked, sipping her water.

"That's what has been bugging me," Izaya told her. "It's always when I'm around Shizuo or when someone talks about him. I feel so… different. Like… like… today, Kasuka asked me if Shizuo and you were an item and I… I…" he rubbed his temples. "I started to feel so nervous and jealous and all I could think of was that stupid protozoan!" He looked up at Arashi with pleading eyes. "Please, can you tell me what's wrong with me? I don't think I can take it anymore!"

Arashi's gaze softened and she let out a sigh, setting down her water. Like she had done a day before with Shizuo, she reached across and grabbed Izaya's hands, gripping them gently.

"I've had this talk with other people before and I know exactly what you're going through," she smiled. "Izaya, you're in love."


	15. Chapter 15

**I can't believe I got this done so fast! =D I'm so happy! So some questions get answered in this chapter. Hope you like!**

**And thank you to amaya-nights rain, Akai Mu Tsuki, blackwingsgreeneyes, Smallvillegirl2, Giveortake, and xheyxhayleyx for reviewing on the last chapter! Thanks also goes out to those who've read, favorited, and subscribed to this! You guys are the best!**

Chapter 15

Izaya stared at Arashi, his jaw hanging open and his eyes wide.

"Wh-what…?" he gasped and pulled his hands away from Arashi. "N-no… That's not possible. I don't believe you."

Arashi sighed and rose from her chair. "Just think about it, okay? I'm sure you'll realize the same thing." She studied Izaya's expression (and possibly his aura) and frowned. "We're going to need some tea…"

Izaya swallowed hard and pulled his legs up onto the couch, holding them close to his chest. He then noticed how much he was shaking and desperately tried to command his muscles to stop. Why on earth was he getting so shook up about this? He didn't love the protozoan so he had no reason to be acting like this! Unless…

He gulped, realizing something. He shouldn't be acting like this unless he truly was in love with Shizuo…

"Oh… fuck…" Izaya gasped and put his head in his hands. Just when he thought this situation couldn't get any worse, he fell in love with the stupid protozoan.

"Do you like your tea with milk or honey?" Arashi asked from the kitchen, looking concerned.

"Just plain…" Izaya muttered, rubbing his temples. "I can't believe this…"

Arashi came back and handed him the tea. "Here. It will help."

"Thanks…" the informant muttered and took a sip.

"You know, it's not that bad," the street-artist said. "Shizuo's truly a nice guy. He's sweet and caring…"

"He _hates _me," Izaya countered. "We've been enemies since the day we met. I doubt spilling my guts to him will change anything."

"If you say so…" she frowned. "But, you know, not everything's as black and white as it seems…"

"I… Damn…" Izaya set the cup down and put his head in his hands again. "This… this isn't me, Arashi… I don't feel things like this… I…" he swallowed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I feel so weak… so helpless…"

"How about you talk to him?" Arashi suggested. "I've sensed a change in the relationship you two have. It might help…"

"I… I don't know…" Izaya sighed. "Let me sleep on it…"

"Okay… Do you want to stay here for the night?"

"No… I'm fine…"

Arashi nodded, looking strangely sympathetic. "Okay. And Izaya, if you hurt him at all…" she glared at him. "I will dismember you."

"Right…" Izaya nodded, taking Arashi's warning to heart. That girl was just so protective… "Good night…"

"Good luck," Arashi smiled and the informant left. She sighed and took one last sip of her water, looking up at the ceiling. "Please, let this go well… They deserve it."

…

"Is he awake?"

"Don't know…"

"When is he going to wake up? I mean, really! He's such a lazy sleepy-head!"

"Pillow… don't…"

"I can use the pillow if I want! Gah! He needs to wake up already!"

It was too early to wake up to voices, Shizuo decided. Especially these voices. These voices were too loud and very obnoxious. He heard the sounds of someone trying to grab something from someone else but ignored it. It probably wasn't important anyways…

"Kururi-nee! Let go!"

"No…"

Unbeknownst to the sleeping bodyguard, Kururi Orihara was trying to save him from Mairu beaning him over the head with a pillow. The twins played tug-of-war with the pillow until the pillow burst open, sending feathers everywhere. Mairu tumbled back and landed on Shizuo, successfully waking the man up.

"What the hell?" he gasped as he sat up, having not a clue of what was going on. And then he saw the feathers… "Mairu… Kururi… What's going on?"

Mairu innocently pointed to her sister and Shizuo rolled his eyes. He knew by now that nine times out of ten, Mairu was the trouble maker.

"Mairu, what did you do?" he asked.

"I was just trying to wake you up!" the girl pouted. "But Kururi took the pillow I was going to use!"

"You were going to wake me up using a pillow?" Shizuo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wasn't going to hit you… hard."

Shizuo rolled his eyes. "Mairu, since you made this mess, I want you to clean it up or, so help me, the consequences will be dire."

"L-like what…?" the girl asked, looking a bit fearful.

"Hmmm… I might just have to… tickle you to death!" Shizuo grabbed the girl and dragged her onto the bed, attacking her sides with his fingers.

She squealed and soon dissolved into laughter, throwing fake punches at Shizuo. "Nii-san! Stop! Stop!" she laughed. "Kururi-nee! Help!"

"She can't help you!" Shizuo chuckled and grabbed Kururi, beginning to tickle her as well.

The two girls squealed with laughter and Shizuo couldn't help but laugh as well. He was so happy that he could do something like this without hurting someone. For years, he had avoided coming in contact with people so he wouldn't lose control of his strength and accidentally hurt someone he cared about. Now, he didn't even have to worry about it. He felt so _free_…

"Ku-Kururi-nee…" Mairu gasped in-between spurts of laughter. "Ready?" the twin nodded. "Get him!"

The two girls ganged up on Shizuo and tackled him, turning the tables as they started to tickle _him_. The man exploded in laughter and tried to push the girls off.

"S-stop!" he chuckled. "I give up! I give up!"

Once the girls stopped, he pulled them into a tight embrace, all three of them laughing. The twins buried their heads into his chest, still giggling as Shizuo chuckled softly.

"But seriously…" Shizuo said once they stopped. "Someone's going to have to clean this up."

"Awww… Izaya-nii…" Mairu whined. "That's no fun…"

"Well, I find it worse to have my room covered in feathers," Shizuo muttered, looking around the room and then back at the twins' pouting faces. "Alright, we'll have breakfast first."

"Yay!" Mairu cheered, hopping off the bed and running towards the kitchen with Kururi following close behind.

Shizuo rolled out of bed, a smile still on his face, and walked into the kitchen, met by two smiling girls waiting for their breakfast.

"What are you going to make, nii-san?" Mairu asked, bouncing in her seat.

"Omelets?" Kururi asked.

"I'll make rolled omelets, if you want," Shizuo smiled as he gathered the proper ingredients.

"Yay!" Mairu cheered and Shizuo couldn't help but chuckle. Those girls, no matter how horrible they seemed, were truly something else.

As he started to mix the eggs and dashi stock, his phone rung from the counter and he grabbed it, answering immediately. "Hello?"

"_Good, you answered…_" a familiar voice sighed.

_Izaya? _Shizuo chose his words carefully, seeing as he was around the twins. "Oh… It's you… What do you want?"

"_Now, don't be like that, Shizu-chan…_" Izaya chided. "_I called to check up on you, after all._"

"Just get on with it," Shizuo hissed.

There was a deep sigh on the other end. "_I need to talk to you._"

"Now?" the bodyguard asked. "Why? What about…" he glanced at the twins and dropped his voice to a whisper. "What about Kasuka?"

"_He's off shooting some parts for his up-coming film,_" Izaya replied. "_I'm going to head over to Shinjuku now._"

"Why?"

"_It's… it's important! Trust me!_" the informant insisted. "_Just get Namie to baby-sit the twins for a while or something!_"

"Alright…" Shizuo sighed and balanced the phone on his shoulder as he poured the egg mixture into a pan. "I'm making breakfast for them so can I call you when we're done?"

"_…That'll do…_"

"Good," Shizuo said. "See you later." He hung up and quickly finished cooking the breakfast, serving the rolled omelets on plates for the twins. He passed the plates out and turned back to his cell, finding Namie Yagiri in the contacts. "Hello? Namie? It's me. I need you to do a little favor for me…"

…

An hour or so later, Shizuo was by himself in Izaya's large apartment, waiting for the flea to arrive. He had convinced Namie to take the twins out shopping by doubling her pay and therefore had gotten them out of the way, allowing Izaya to arrive without arousing any suspicion.

A sudden knock sounded at the door and Shizuo answered it, revealing Izaya standing on the other side.

"Ah, there's my Shizu-chan," Izaya smiled, entering as soon as possible. "How are we this morning?"

"I've been fine," Shizuo answered, closing the door after the informant walked in. "The twins have been doing well. What is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I have a few questions for you," Izaya said casually, taking a seat on the couch. "Kasuka brought something up last night that I've been curious about…"

"I have some questions for you too," Shizuo said, taking a seat next to the informant.

Izaya rose an eyebrow. "Really? Well, that makes things less awkward… You go first."

"No, you go first," Shizuo insisted. "You're the one who brought it up."

"But…!" Izaya started to argue but held his tongue. "Fine! Have it your way!" He then looked down at his hands, fidgeting with the cuffs of his sleeves. "So… Yesterday before lunch, Kasuka told me that he's getting married…"

"What?" Shizuo gasped and was suddenly too many inches too close to the informant. "T-to who? Why the hell didn't he tell me? When is it and did he invite me? Damn, I don't even own a tux…"

"Oi! Slow down!" Izaya hissed, pushing Shizuo away with his index finger. "Don't have a heart attack, geez… He's getting married to Ruri Hijiribe, that famous pop singer and I suspect he didn't tell you because he was so busy. As for when it is, I haven't the slightest idea and you're his best man, so you're definitely going to be there."

"Wow… That's… that's great…" Shizuo smiled. "I never thought Kasuka would get married. Although, I always expected him to marry before I did…"

"Speaking of, he was asking me about you possibly settling down," Izaya said and Shizuo seemed to flush a bit. "And then he mentioned something about a woman you knew…" the bodyguard looked up at this. "He said something happened to her… what happened? Who was she?"

Shizuo sighed heavily and looked at the floor, all traces of excitement about Kasuka's wedding gone from his face. "That… That was the first time I majorly screwed up…" Izaya raised an eyebrow but allowed the bodyguard to continue. "Ever since I was little, this horrible strength had been something I had to deal with and use carefully. It all started when I tried to throw a fridge at Kasuka for stealing my pudding. At the time, I didn't really understand it but then again, I never really cared. I was always hurting myself, breaking my bones just because I would pick up desks and throw stop signs. And then one day, I met her…"

A smile came to Shizuo's lips as he recalled the woman who had been so kind to him. "She had always noticed that I was injured and wanted to help. She was so nice to me… such a sweet lady…" he paused and his eyes noticeably darkened as he recalled what happened next. "One day, I saw some men robbing the bakery she worked in and they were going to hurt her… and… I didn't know what to do… I wanted to help her, I didn't want her to get hurt so… I…" he let out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. "I screwed up. I hurt her. It shook me up pretty bad. That's when I started to distance myself from other people. I was so scared I would hurt someone like I hurt her…"

Izaya laid a hand on Shizuo's arm in comfort and the bodyguard looked up at him shyly, rubbing his eyes furiously.

"You know…" the informant said, clearing his throat. "You shouldn't be so afraid of letting people in. You have some great friends and a caring brother. I've never seen you hurt any of them at all. Maybe, if you let in the right people, you'll find someone who isn't afraid of you." He paused, looking at the ground. "I mean, you're so lucky… You have so many people who support you. I don't have something like that…"

"What are you talking about?" Shizuo asked. "Your sisters are…"

"Little monsters."

"No, they're actually sweet little girls," the bodyguard smiled. "They care about you very much, Izaya. And believe it or not, this leads up to my question."

"Do tell…" Izaya purred, his eyes shining playfully.

"What's… what's your family like?"

The informant paused, his face dropping instantly. Shizuo frowned at this reaction; he had never seen the informant so unnerved.

"Izaya… are you okay?"

Izaya turned his head away from him. "I don't want to talk about it…"

"Come on, flea…" Shizuo snorted. "I gave you my answer…"

"I said no."

"Flea, the twins mentioned your father," the bodyguard said and Izaya froze. "Are you two not on good terms?"

"He's dead."

"He… what…?"

"He's _dead_!" Izaya growled, whipping around to face Shizuo. "And good riddance! He fucking hated me!" His shoulders slumped and he hung his head, the spout of anger gone. "We… we never had the best relationship… As the only son in the family, he expected me to be exactly like him but I couldn't do that. I didn't want to be him, I wanted to be _me_. And even though I got good grades all throughout my school years, he still wouldn't look at me with pride. I ran away from home after sophomore year, after I finally told him that I wasn't going to be like he was. Once high school was done, he practically disowned me… like I cared." He glared at the floor. "He was a real bastard. He would spit on me but when it came to the twins, they were his little angels."

"What… what happened to him…?" Shizuo asked.

"He died a year after we got out of high school," Izaya muttered. "He had leukemia but I never went to go see him. My mother called me and begged me to go many times but I know he never wanted me there. I went to his funeral though, because the rest of my family needed me… not because he died. I… I guess… I felt a little bad for not seeing him… I never had a good relationship with him to start with and then he was just gone…" He sighed heavily. "It… hurts sometimes…"

To his surprise, Shizuo hugged him, holding him close in strong arms. "I never knew… I'm sorry…"

"I guess this whole body-swapping experience has made us pretty damn close…" Izaya sniffled, wiping at his eyes. "I didn't think I'd get close to a dimwitted protozoan like you…"

"I'm just going to take that as a compliment," Shizuo sighed. "You know… maybe we should start over…"

"True… we didn't really hit it off when we met at school…" Izaya chuckled and held out his hand. "I'm Izaya Orihara. It's… nice to meet you…"

"Shizuo Heiwajima," the bodyguard smiled and shook Izaya's hand. "I… I don't think I hate you as much anymore…"

"Thanks…" Izaya chuckled sarcastically, playfully punching Shizuo in the shoulder. "Do you think that'll we'll be able to turn back to normal now?"

"I don't know… Maybe sometime soon…" Shizuo said thoughtfully and then something came to mind. "Hey! You never told me you could play the piano, flea!"

"How did you find that out?" Izaya gasped.

"Your sisters wanted me to play a song for them," Shizuo explained. "You could have taught me!"

"Sorry! I didn't think of it!"

After a short pause, Shizuo spoke up again. "Could you possibly try to teach me…?"

Izaya glared at him but his expression softened and he shrugged. "I… I don't see why not…" He got up and led Shizuo over to a large black piano hidden in the corner on the other side of the flea's large TV. He pulled out the bench and sat down, motioning for Shizuo to do the same. "Now, I'm going to play through this once and then I'll teach you, got it?"

Shizuo nodded and Izaya began to play, his fingers moving expertly across the keys. A sweet, haunting melody came from the piano as he played, filling the room with music.

"_There's a song that's inside of my soul. It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again,_" Izaya began to sing. "_I'm awake in the infinite cold but you sing to me over and over and over again…_" The music built to a crescendo, a feeling of hope winding through the words. "_So I lay my head back down and I lift my hands and pray to be only yours. I pray to be only yours… I know now you're my only hope…_" He finished and turned to Shizuo, who had a surprised expression on his face.

"I… didn't know you were so good…" he said.

"No time for flattery, Shizu-chan," Izaya chuckled and took hold of Shizuo's right hand, placing it on the keys. "Now, I'll teach you to play the right hand's part while I play the left…"

Izaya reached over and played a few notes that belonged to the right hand, having Shizuo copy them. If he messed up, Izaya would start the entire all over again until it was perfect. This went on until the bodyguard was able to play the notes correctly and up to speed.

"Are you ready?" Izaya asked once he was sure Shizuo knew what he needed to do. The bodyguard nodded and Izaya began to play again, this time only using his left hand while Shizuo played the other notes with his right.

_Sing to me the song of the stars_

_Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again_

"Good, good!" Izaya praised when they got through the part he had taught the other. "Now let's try the chorus…"

The process started again, Izaya teaching Shizuo to play with his right hand until everything sounded as it should. There were a few times where he teased the bodyguard and Shizuo would glare at him, punching him in the arm playfully.

_When it feels like my dreams are so far_

_Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again_

Izaya had seemed to forgotten what Arashi had told him the night before. He didn't feel uncomfortable or anxious around Shizuo anymore. Instead, he felt like this was where he belonged, sitting on a piano bench with a man that he had found to be generous and kind.

_I give you my destiny_

_I'm giving you all of me_

_I want your symphony singing in all that I am_

_At the top of my lungs, I'm giving it back…_

"_So I lay my head back down,_" Izaya sang as they played the chorus with perfect timing. "_And I lift my hands and pray to be only yours, I pray to be only yours, I pray to be only yours… I know now you're my only…_" He glanced over at Shizuo, who hadn't noticed that Izaya had stopped playing. Arashi's words from last night came back and Izaya suddenly noticed how close they were on the bench. "Hope…" he breathed the last word of the song and quickly looked back the piano keys. _Dammit, dammit, dammit! _

"You're really good," Shizuo smiled after finishing the melody. "So you play piano and you sing… you're very talented."

"It's… it's not much…" Izaya sighed, his face flushing. "I'm not that talented… Playing music is my forte, unlike dancing. I swear I have two left feet…"

"You don't know how to dance?"

"No," Izaya answered. "Does it even matter? I don't really like it anyways…"

Shizuo rose an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, well maybe it would be fun…" Izaya snorted. "But don't you dare say anything! I bet you don't know how to dance yourself!"

"Actually, I do know."

Izaya paused, staring at the other in surprise. Shit…

"Do you want me to teach you?"

"N-no!" Izaya protested, turning away from Shizuo. "I don't need anyone to teach me, especially you!"

"I was just thinking that since you taught me something, maybe I could return the favor," Shizuo reasoned and held his hand out for Izaya to take. "Come on, it won't kill you."

Izaya glanced at the hand and his will faltered. Shizuo was being so kind to him; he might as well… He quickly looked away. No! He was not going to crumble because of this. He glanced back. Then again…

"Fine…" he sighed, taking Shizuo's hand. "But only once."

Shizuo smiled and led Izaya off of the bench, positioning both of them in the middle of the room. "Okay, I'll lead first. Just hold my hand…" he took Izaya's left hand, grasping it gently and intertwining their fingers. "And put your other hand on my shoulder…" The informant complied and squeaked when Shizuo wrapped an arm around his waist. "Now, just move with me…" The bodyguard moved slowly to the side, moving fluidly as Izaya stumbled along. "Good, good… Just make sure to move smoothly. Be light on your feet."

Izaya gulped as they moved again, this time trying to move faster than he had before. This only resulted in him almost tripping over his own feet.

"Don't go so fast!" Shizuo warned. "Just match your pace with mine."

_Dear my love, haven't you wanted to be with me?_

_And dear my love, haven't you longed to be free?_

As they went on, Izaya began to keep up with the bodyguard, stumbling less and moving gracefully.

"Now you've got it," Shizuo smiled, still leading their tiny waltz. "You're doing very well."

_I can't keep pretending that I don't even know you_

_And at sweet night, you are my own_

Shizuo suddenly stopped and Izaya almost tripped again, caught slightly off-guard. "Now you lead," the bodyguard smiled.

"A-are you sure…?" Izaya gulped. "I don't know if I can…"

"I'm sure you can do it," Shizuo assured him. "Don't be such a wuss."

Izaya glared at him as Shizuo moved Izaya's arm to wrap around his waist. "Remember, you always hold your partner by the waist if you're leading…" the bodyguard noted as he moved his hand to Izaya's shoulder. That was when he noticed the blush dusting the informant's cheeks. "Is there something wrong…?"

"N-no… I'm fine…" Izaya coughed, looking away.

_Take my hand_

_We're leaving here tonight_

"Alright…" Shizuo said, looking unconvinced. "Now, just move anywhere you want. Remember: one, two, three… one, two, three…"

Izaya copied Shizuo's movements from earlier, albeit a little shaky, and counted in his head. _One, two three… one, two, three…_

_There's no need to tell anyone _

_They'd only hold us down_

_So by the morning light_

_We'll be halfway to anywhere_

_Where love is more than just your name…_

"Good, good…" Shizuo smiled. "I think you've got it down."

"Really?" Izaya asked. "That's… good… Thanks…"

"No problem," the bodyguard said. "Think of it as payback for the piano lessons."

Izaya chuckled and for a second, lost track of where his feet were.

"Shit!" Shizuo cursed. "You stepped on my foot!"

"S-sorry!" Izaya stuttered, suddenly feeling very nervous. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" Shizuo growled and then noticed how close their faces were.

_Forget this life, come with me_

_Don't look back, you're safe now_

"Y-you know…" the bodyguard mumbled. "I think we have gotten closer…" _Alarmingly close…_

"Maybe…" Izaya muttered, thinking back to last night.

_ "Izaya… you're in love…"_

_Unlock your heart_

_Drop your guard _

_No one's left to stop you now…_

Izaya looked down into Shizuo's eyes, leaning down so that their foreheads were touching. He could have sworn the other's breath hitched but it barely crossed his mind. All he could do was stare down at the person in his arms, wondering what it was that he was feeling for him. Was it love, like Arashi said? He couldn't tell. But the butterflies were wrecking havoc in his stomach and his hands were trembling violently.

He could have sworn that he almost died when Shizuo reached up and brushed some blonde locks out of the informant's eyes, shivering as Shizuo's fingertips traced their way down his cheek and to his neck. Then, out of pure impulse, Shizuo pulled Izaya's head down and melted his lips against the informant's.

_We're leaving here tonight_

_There's no need to tell anyone_

_They'd only hold us down_

Izaya was shocked a first and then relaxed, returning the kiss. Shizuo wrapped his arms around the informant's neck, twisting his fingers in Izaya's hair as they kissed passionately. There was something, some sort of feeling bubbling up inside of him, something he couldn't identify.

_Is this what it feels like…? _Izaya thought. _Would this be love…?_

_So by the morning light_

_We'll be halfway to anywhere…_

At the same time, Shizuo's thoughts were running high-speed and his stomach twisted itself in knots. For the first time since he talked to Arashi, he finally recognized the feelings he had towards Izaya…

_ I… I'm in love with the flea…_

_Where love is more than just your name…_

**Songs used: "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore and "Anywhere" by Evanescence. **

**Reviews would be much appreciated. =)  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Following up from the last chapter. Will their relationship improve because of this or not?I believe this may be getting close to done... but then again, it all depends on where my fingers decide to take me. Hope you enjoy!  
**

Chapter 16

Before he knew it, Izaya found himself being thrown on the couch, Shizuo sitting on top of him. The bodyguard attacked Izaya's lips viciously and Izaya hands ran down Shizuo's back, fingers clinging tightly to the black fabric. Shizuo ran his tongue along Izaya's lips, demanding entrance, and the informant complied, deepening the kiss…

"Nii-san!" there was a loud knock at the door. "Nii-san, let us in!"

Izaya gasped and pulled away from Shizuo, pushing the bodyguard off of him on accident. "Shit!"

"Go hide!" Shizuo hissed from the floor. "I'll deal with them."

Izaya nodded and scampered off to the bedroom, sliding underneath the bed. Shizuo fixed his hair and his clothes and rushed to the door, opening it to greet the twins.

"Mairu, Kururi… you're back early…" he said, hugging them. "What happened to Namie?"

"We got bored so we ran off and came back here!" Mairu smiled.

"So you left the person charged with baby-sitting you two?" Shizuo sighed. "She's going to go nuts if she thinks she lost you…"

"Can we do something fun now?" Mairu begged. "I don't like shopping for clothes at alllll!"

"How about…" Shizuo glanced at the bedroom. He still had to get Izaya out without the twins noticing. "How about you watch a little TV first? I need to go do something…"

He rushed into the bedroom without waiting for a response, closing the door behind him. Izaya popped his head out from underneath the bed, looking a bit curious.

"Quick, I gotta get you out of here…" Shizuo hissed as Izaya climbed out from under the bed.

Izaya's eyes flickered over to the window. "There."

"You're going to climb out of an apartment complex through a window?" Shizuo asked. "Are you nuts?"

"Oh come on," Izaya sniffed. "We're not even that high up…"

"You're at the top of a building with seven freaking floors!"

"I'm not going to fall, Shizu-chan," Izaya sighed, rolling his eyes. "Trust me, I've done this sort of thing before…"

"Okay…" Shizuo sighed, suddenly worried about the other's safety. "Just… just be careful!"

"Oh, is someone worried about me~?" Izaya chuckled as he opened the window. "Don't worry, Shizu-chan, I'll get down in one piece."

"Sh-shut up…" the bodyguard grunted as Izaya started to climb out. "Hey, Izaya…"

"Yes?" Izaya asked, looking up at Shizuo with interested eyes.

Shizuo swallowed, finding that there was a lump in his throat. Could he say those words to him now? He didn't think he could…

"N-never mind…" he muttered. "Ja nee…"

Izaya blinked, slightly puzzled by Shizuo's behavior, but shrugged it off. "Ja nee, Shizu-chan~" He let go of the windowsill and plummeted to the ground below.

Shizuo, eyes wide in shock, raced over to see if the flea had broken his neck on the pavement. However, he saw Izaya catching a windowsill as he went down and the informant swung off of it, landing on a nearby dumpster and then jumping to the ground. The bodyguard sighed in relief; damn that flea for scaring him like that…

He shut the window and turned around, walking back towards the door. He touched a finger to his lips; what had brought that on? One moment, they were visiting like friends would and then the next, they were having a steamy make-out session on the couch.

_This is what Arashi wanted me to figure out for myself… _he thought as he walked back into the living room. _And I have… I'm in love with Izaya Orihara… _

A sudden feeling of happiness swept through his body. He was in _love_! He never thought he would ever feel love, like what Shinra had with Celty. He had always thought that he'd live his entire life alone with no lovers and no family. He had never expected for something like this to happen.

_And what's more, it's Izaya, _he thought. _I won't have to worry about hurting him because I can't. He one of the few who fights me and fails to get a single scratch. _He smiled to himself and touched his lips again. _I'm so glad I know what this feeling is now…_

"Izaya-nii? What is it?" Mairu asked, jumping off of the couch to walk over to him. "Why are you so happy?"

"I… I guess I'm just happy with life right now," Shizuo smiled, patting the girl on the head. "How about tomorrow, we go to the zoo like you girls suggested?"

"Really?" Mairu gasped. "That would be wonderful! What do you think, Kururi-nee?"

"Zebras…" Kururi muttered.

"That can be our first stop tomorrow," Shizuo smiled. "Now, what do you want to do for lunch?"

"Russia Sushi!" Mairu cheered.

"We went there yesterday, Mairu…" Shizuo sighed. "How about I make some udon?"

The girls cheered and followed Shizuo into the kitchen like ducklings following their mother, eager for food. Shizuo thought to himself as he cooked, his mind wandering back to Izaya.

_I'll have to tell him after the girls leave… that way, we can be alone…_

And, of course, they would start to get along better and eventually switch back. Things were definitely looking up.

…

If you had told Izaya Orihara that things were looking up, he probably would have spit in your face and thought you were batty. As he walked back to Ikebukuro, his mind was in a muddle, much like Shizuo's was. However, his thoughts were less positive.

_I can't believe it… _he thought, his body shaking. _He… he kissed me… Shizuo kissed me… Does he… like me…? No, he _loves _me… At least, I think he does… Oh shit… _

He stumbled into an alleyway and slumped against a wall, his body shaking violently. Suddenly, he felt so scared. What was going on? Why was this even happening? He thought he had resolved being in love with Shizuo so why did it scare him so much?

_What if he told me he loved me? _Izaya asked himself, taking deep breaths to try to calm down. _What would I do? Would I accept him or would I run away? What if I told him? _He shook his head. _No way. He'd throw something at me… because he… he hates… _He sighed and put his head in his hands. _Dammit… I should have killed him a long time ago…_

Izaya sat in the alleyway until his was ready to move on and even after his body stopped shaking, his mind was still in a fog. He was in a rut, with nowhere to go and nowhere to turn.

_What on earth do I do?_

…

"Nii-san…"

Izaya woke up the next morning, Kasuka poking his head in his bedroom. "Mmmmuuuh… What is it…?"

"It's time for breakfast," Kasuka said politely. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" Izaya murmured, rubbing his eyes.

"Are you sure? You didn't seem well last night…"

"I'm fine. Trust me…" Izaya assured him as he got out of bed, a sudden cough coming from his throat.

"You're not getting sick, are you?" Kasuka asked, looking concerned.

"I doubt it," Izaya said. Shizuo didn't get sick, did he? "What's for breakfast?"

"I bought some natto," Kasuka said. "I know you don't like it very much but it's all I could find."

"Thanks," Izaya said, taking the container of fermented soy beans. He opened it up, wincing slightly at the smell, and stirred the stringy beans around before taking a chopstick-full of them.

"Do you want to come to my shoot today?" Kasuka asked.

"Why do you ask…?"

"Usually you tag along," Kasuka said. "I know that you tend to watch from the shadows, making sure no one hurts me. You always act like you never did anything though…"

"I'm just looking out for my brother," Izaya said, eating some more natto. "I don't mean to cause too much of a disturbance, you know…"

"I know," Kasuka said. "Just come along and relax a bit. Maybe you can get rid of some stress that has seemed to accumulate over the past 24 hours."

"Yeah… maybe…" Izaya sighed. _Maybe it'll get my mind off of that stupid protozoan… _

…

Shizuo woke that morning feeling refreshed and well rested. He would be embarrassed to admit it but he dreamt about Izaya the entire night. In his dream, they were in their rightful bodies, sitting together on Shizuo's couch. Izaya had gently kissed him and then buried his face in the crook of Shizuo's neck, whispering sweet words.

_"I love you, Shizu-chan…"_

How he wished it wasn't a dream…

From the next room, he could hear the girls talking to each other, trying to figure out how to wake him. Shizuo chuckled and slid out of bed, catching the girls outside of the door.

"Good morning," he smiled. "Shall I assume that you two weren't up to anything while I was asleep?"

"You could assume that," Mairu said innocently and Shizuo laughed. "Okay you two, let's get some breakfast."

"Then do we go to the zoo?" Mairu asked, following him into the kitchen.

"Zoo…" Kururi muttered.

"Of course," Shizuo smiled. If he was lucky, he might see Izaya later that day and possibly talk to him about something that had been resting on his mind since the night before.

He could already tell that today was going to be great; he could feel it in his bones.

…

Izaya groaned as the director demanded the same scene to be acted out for the fifth time. He didn't know why they had to keep doing that scene over; Kasuka was a superb actor. Maybe the director was constipated or something…

He sighed and glanced around the area. How long had they been here anyways? It felt like half the day had gone by and nothing exciting had happened.

"Yuuhei-san!"

Izaya's ears perked. He knew that voice. _Mairu…? _He looked over to see the girl running towards the set, her eyes filled with a spark of excitement that Izaya knew and feared. He looked around for Kururi and Shizuo; they couldn't be too far behind, now could they?

Sure enough, Shizuo was close behind the girl, trying to catch her as Kururi trotted behind him. Izaya noted that the girl was holding a stuffed tiger as well as a stuffed zebra; where had Shizuo taken them, the zoo?

"Mairu, wait!" Shizuo cried and grabbed Mairu's collar.

"Aww… Izaya-nii!" Mairu pouted. "I just wanna see Yuuhei!"

"He's a busy man, Mairu," Shizuo told the girl, dragging her away from the set. "You don't need to pester him."

Mairu pouted as Shizuo led her away. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Izaya watching them and her expression lit up immediately. Without warning, she broke out of Shizuo's grasp and ran over towards Izaya, the mischievous spark back in her eye.

"Mairu!" Shizuo yelled and chased after the girl once again.

"Shizuo-san! Shizuo-san!" Mairu laughed as she ran up to Izaya. "Please, please, please let us talk to Yuuhei! We promise we'll be really good and behave!"

"Uh…" Izaya blinked at the girl, not really knowing what to say. _What would Shizu-chan do…? _"I… I think he's a bit busy right now. I'm afraid I can't let you talk to him."

"B-but…!" Mairu protested. "Shizuo-san!"

"Gotcha!" Shizuo caught up to the girl and grabbed her collar. "Mairu, don't ever run off like that ever again!" He looked up at Izaya, looking a bit surprised to see him. "I'm sorry about her…"

"No… that's… fine…" Izaya muttered, staring at Shizuo with a confused look. What had happened to staying in character?

"Nii-san, what's going on over here?"

Mairu squealed when Kasuka walked up to them, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yuuhei-san!"

"Some unexpected company dropped by…" Izaya said, glancing at Shizuo.

"Can we get some autographs, Yuuhei-san?" Mairu pleaded. "Please?"

"Mairu…!" Shizuo chided but Kasuka lifted a hand to stop him.

"It's alright by me," the actor murmured. "I'm sure I can set aside some time to talk to these girls."

"Alright…" the bodyguard mumbled and then looked at the girls. "You two had better behave yourselves."

"We will!" Mairu chirped and ran over to Kasuka, Kururi trailing behind.

Izaya couldn't help but chuckle as the twins ran off. He truly missed spending time with them even though they did act like little monsters. They were his little sisters and he loved them very much.

"Have they been a handful?" he asked Shizuo.

"Very much so," Shizuo sighed. "I can see how you three are related…"

Izaya chuckled at that and looked down at Shizuo with a smile. "They're going back tomorrow, aren't they?"

Shizuo nodded. "Same with Kasuka?"

"Yeah…" Izaya sighed. "This is his last film shoot in Ikebukuro."

"I see…" the bodyguard. "Since they're going to be gone tomorrow, do you think we could probably spend some time with each other?"

Izaya stared at Shizuo, caught a bit off guard by the sudden offer. The bodyguard's face with tinted red and he looked up at Izaya shyly, waiting for the informant's response.

_I could say no… _Izaya thought. _But then I might lose the opportunity to regain my body… If I say yes… _He stopped himself. _Does it really matter if I say yes? There's no real reason for me to be nervous about this… _He shook his head. _No, there is a reason, isn't there? I love the stupid protozoan and I don't know what to do._

"I… I don't see why not…" he muttered, glancing at Shizuo nervously. "What time tomorrow?"

"How about noon?" Shizuo asked. "Would that work?"

"That'll be fine…" the informant nodded as the twins ran up.

"Izaya-nii! Izaya-nii!" Mairu cheered. "Yuuhei-san gave us his autograph! Isn't that great?"

"Wondrous…" Kururi muttered in agreement.

"Yes, yes… Now let's go," Shizuo sighed and then turned to Izaya. "Please, could you thank him for me?"

"Sure," Izaya nodded and Shizuo led the twins away, taking each of their hands.

"Bye, Shizuo-saaaaan!" Mairu cried, waving at Izaya as they left.

"Come on, you two…" Shizuo sighed and coughed sharply into his hand, grabbing his chest with the other.

"Are you okay, Izaya-nii?" Mairu asked, sounding concerned.

"I'm fine," Shizuo assured them as they walked away. "Just a little cough, that's all…"

Not noticing what happened, Izaya suddenly coughed as well.

"Odd…" he muttered and then shrugged. "Must be allergies or something… If Shizu-chan gets allergies…"

He shrugged off the mysterious cough and let his mind wander to more important things, such as meeting Shizuo the day after.

_What on earth do I do…?_

…

The very next day, Shizuo flopped onto the couch in the apartment, sighing in relief. The twins had left and while he was a bit sad to see them leave, he was happy that they would be out of his hair. Besides, he had more pressing matters such as dealing with Izaya.

He toyed with his sleeve, feeling his face get hot. _Izaya, Izaya, Izaya… _How in the world was he going to tell him about how he felt? He couldn't be blunt, that was for sure. Maybe if he just started a conversation and worked his way to the subject of the relationship between the two of them…? No, that might get too awkward… Then what on earth should he do?

He sighed and held his head in his hands. He really needed to get this off of his chest before he exploded… but how? There was a knock at the door and suddenly, his pulse went up. He still hadn't come up with a plan! He was just going to have to go with the flow then.

Quickly, Shizuo got up and raced to the door, opening it to let Izaya in. "H-hello…"

"Konnichi wa, Shizu-chan~" Izaya chuckled, skipping inside the apartment. "I see you are doing well today~"

"Um… Thanks…" Shizuo muttered as he closed the door. "Take a seat."

"You're not going to offer me something to eat or drink first?" Izaya sniffed. "How rude~!"

"It's your fucking apartment," Shizuo snorted. "Get up a get it yourself…"

"No, that's fine," Izaya chuckled, as he took a seat on the couch. "I don't need anything~"

Shizuo snorted and sat down across from Izaya, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve nervously. "You're so immature…"

"What did you want to talk to me about, Shizu-chan?" Izaya asked, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his hands.

The bodyguard felt his face heat up and he clenched his fists tightly, trying not to forget how to breathe. _Here it goes… _"Izaya, I know we haven't had the best relationship in the past but now, I feel like something has changed. We've become very close over the past week or so and I really feel like that we'll be able to put the past behind us."

Izaya's expression suddenly turned anxious and he looked uncomfortable as the bodyguard stood up and moved to sit next to the informant. Shizuo reached over and took Izaya's hands gently, causing the informant's pulse to skyrocket. Izaya's brain went fuzzy and his heart began to beat too fast.

_Shizuo better not be doing what I think he's doing… _

"Izaya, I realized something recently," Shizuo confessed and squeezed the informant's hands. "I've been feeling something that I haven't been able to identify… until now." He looked up at Izaya, his eyes soft and warm. "Izaya, I _love_ you."

The world stopped. Izaya's brain over-loaded as he tried to come up with ways to react to Shizuo's confession. What should he do? Was there anything he could do? As his mind raced to come up with a solution, Shizuo took that moment to lean forward and captured Izaya's lips in his own. The informant leaned almost automatically into the kiss, as if magnetically drawn to the bodyguard. At that moment, however, Izaya's brain kicked in.

_No, this isn't right… I hate him… I hate him!_

He pushed Shizuo roughly, shoving him away. The bodyguard looked confused as he watched the informant shake violently. What had he done wrong?

"Izaya…?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Shizuo looked shocked, staring at Izaya with a confused expression. "What…?"

"You _love _me?" Izaya scoffed. "How ridiculous…" _Push him away, get him away! _

"Izaya, I don't think I understand…"

"Are you really that stupid?" the informant spat. "I don't feel the same way! Get it through your thick protozoan skull! I _hate _you!"

Shizuo looked like he had been slapped and then his expression relaxed, growing soft and loving. "I can see you're scared. You don't have to be…"

Izaya kept himself from looking surprised. Shizuo could actually read him that well? Regardless, he had to go on with the act. "I am not scared! I just hate you!"

"Izaya, you don't have to lie. I understand…"

"No, you don't," the informant growled. "Do I have to say it slow for you? I. Hate. You!" Now was the time to deal the large blow. "Sorry, Shizuo, but I can't be fag like you!"

Shizuo's face darkened and Izaya felt like applauding himself; that was exactly the reaction he wanted.

"What did you just call me?" the bodyguard growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You heard me," Izaya snapped, turning away from him. "I hope you've gotten the idea that I have just rejected your stupid little love confession. There is no way on earth that I'd be able to love such a monster as yourself…"

"You're right…"

Izaya looked at the bodyguard, surprised.

"You're right," Shizuo said again. "It was stupid of me… because I don't see why in the world I fell in love with such a scumbag!"

It was now Izaya's turn to look like he had been slapped. The tables had been turned, swiping all cards from the informant's hands.

"You're so selfish and hateful!" the bodyguard spat, rising from the couch. "I wish I had never met you!"

Izaya was shocked. He hadn't expected for Shizuo to fire such words right back at him. Instead of apologizing, the informant acted on instinct and shot back.

"That makes two of us!" he snapped. "I never want to see your face again!"

"My face is your face at the moment, genius!" Shizuo shouted. "Get a fucking clue!"

"Don't even remind me!" Izaya yelled. "This is all your fault!"

"How?"

"If you weren't such a fucking idiot while trying to kill me, maybe it wouldn't have happened!"

"If you didn't try to piss me off, maybe I wouldn't try to kill you!"

"You know what? I don't care anymore! Fuck you!"

"Flea…" Shizuo growled. "I have just about had it with you…"

"For once, I agree with you!" Izaya chuckled and his eyes narrowed into slits, his voice dripping with venom. "How about you go die in a fucking hole? No one will care anyways… not even your precious little brother!"

That was the breaking point. With a roar of fury, Shizuo leapt on Izaya, trying to get a good grip on the other's neck. They wrestled each other to the ground, punches and kicks going everywhere. Eventually, Shizuo managed to pin Izaya and proceeded to throttle him. However, the action didn't have much of an effect on the informant and Izaya kicked him off, sending him flying into the couch. The impact caused the couch to fall into pieces, Shizuo lying unmoving among the wreckage.

"Sh-Shizuo…?" Izaya whispered nervously, realizing what he had done.

The bodyguard moved slightly, propping himself up to glare at the informant.

"Get out," he growled. "Now."

"But you…"

"Get out of here!" Shizuo snapped. "Leave already!"

Izaya's gaze hardened and he stomped past Shizuo, pulling the door open. "If you want me to leave, then fine! I'll fucking leave!" The informant stormed angrily out of the apartment, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Shizuo glared at the door after the flea left. Finally, Izaya was gone forever from his life. He didn't care at all about the flea; he was glad that he was gone!

"Good riddance!" he yelled at the door and then tried to pull himself up from the broken couch. _Damn… _he thought. _Usually I can get up from his sort of thing… _

He found that he couldn't push himself back up from his position among the couch wreckage. None of his bones were broken and he only felt an aching pain in certain areas but his muscles were shaking and he was drawing shaky breaths. His chest hurt and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. Shizuo remained amongst the wreckage for the rest of the day, unwilling to get up. He didn't know one thing though:

He was currently suffering from a broken heart.

…

Izaya felt like shit when he finally returned to Shizuo's apartment. His eyes were watery, he couldn't breathe, and his head hurt. What the hell was wrong with him? That was supposed to fix everything!

But it didn't.

He leaned against a wall and slid down into a sitting position. _Why did this ever happen? Love is such a stupid emotion that drives people to do stupid things. I don't want to be in love! _He was trembling now. _Stupid Shizuo… He wants me to leave, I'll leave._

He got up and stormed to the bedroom, grabbing a suitcase and stuffing as much as he could into it. He shoved some shirts and some pants into the suitcase, not even bothering to place them in neatly. As he went to grab some more clothes, his vision started to blur and he fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.

_What is wrong with me? _he asked himself as tears started to flow down his cheeks. _I shouldn't be upset about this at all… _

Izaya let out a weak sob and curled up on the floor, shaking as he cried. There was no denying it now; he had given up the best thing that could have ever happened to him.

**Hmmm... Yeah... Depressing chapter... =/ I have a reason for why Izaya is so flighty in this. Izaya likes to look at people and play with their emotions, ofter setting himself apart from them. It is my theory that he doesn't want to be as weak as humans are, such as giving into his emotions. So what has happened so far has presented a big issue and he really just wants to skirt around it instead of deal with it because he's scared. **

**Please review!  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**I think I'm on a roll~**

Chapter 17

Shizuo woke up the next morning, still in the middle of the ruined couch. He had remained there for the entire day, falling asleep there once night came. He rolled over and stood up stiffly, sore from getting thrown into the couch. His head hurt and his stomach ached for food since he hadn't even bothered to grab food the day before.

Life seemed to be pointless now. He had decided that as he walked to the kitchen, scanning the fridge for food. He pulled out the left-over udon he had made yesterday and threw it in the microwave, watching the flashing numbers with tired eyes.

"What the hell am I doing…?" he sighed. There was no way he could go after Izaya; the flea hated him after all and he was probably long gone by now.

The microwave beeped and he removed the udon, placing the bowl on the island counter. He sat down and poked at the noodles with his chopsticks, suddenly feeling very uninterested about eating. He rested his head in his hands and stared down at his food, his mind far away.

_Dammit. How the hell did this even happen? _Shizuo thought as he forced himself to take a bite. _Stupid flea… _

He paused and tried to suppress a rather loud cough which then sent him into a hacking fit, his eyes watering and his lungs stinging. What the hell was this? Was he coming down with something? Whatever it was made his head feel like it was being crushed between two boulders and that didn't help him with his current slump.

_I really need to talk to someone… _he thought as he dug out his cell phone. He typed in a number and held it to his ear, flinching a bit as the phone rang.

"_Hello?_"

"Arashi, it's me, Shizuo…" he murmured into the phone, still holding his head. "I… I need you to come to Shinjuku."

"_What happened?_" There was no beating around the bush with that girl.

Shizuo sighed and rubbed his temples. "Something happened between me and Izaya. I'll tell you the rest when you get here, okay?"

"_I'll be there as soon as I can,_" Arashi said and the line went dead. Shizuo chuckled; knowing her, she was probably already on her way to the bus.

He set down the phone as another fit of coughing struck him again. Whatever the hell this illness was, he wanted it to go as fast as it had came. He didn't want to deal with anything like this now. He took a few more bites of his udon and then pushed the bowl aside, leaving it to go lay on the armchair that had remained untouched by the short brawl he and Izaya had the other day.

He took a short nap in the chair and before he knew it, someone was already knocking on his door. Shizuo reluctantly got to his feet and answered the door, revealing an anxious Arashi.

"Shizuo!" she gasped, instantly latching onto him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shizuo assured her as he pulled away from her to close the door.

"Don't lie to me, Shizuo," Arashi chided, wagging a finger at him. "I know that there's something wrong with you. What is it?" Before he could answer her, her eyes floated to the mess that was once the couch. "What did you two _do_?"

"We got in a fight…" Shizuo sighed and walked over to sit back in the armchair. "Arashi, you know how you told me to figure out how I felt towards him?"

"You figured it out," Arashi nodded. "I knew you would… But how does that…?"

"I confessed," the bodyguard interrupted and Arashi's eyes became wide. "I told him how I feel and that I love him… He… he didn't take it too well…"

"He… didn't?" Arashi asked, surprised. But she had just talked to the scumbag! He knew what he felt for Shizuo and still turned him away? "I'm going to kill him."

"Don't bother," Shizuo sighed. "He's probably already out of town…"

"How do you know?"

"I told him to leave… and he did."

"How do you know he left Ikebukuro?"

Shizuo shrugged and Arashi sighed.

"Look," the street artist said. "I can try to find him. He's probably at your apartment."

"I doubt it."

"Shizuo…" Arashi frowned and then noticed how tired his eyes were and how pale his face was. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

"Enough…" Shizuo mumbled. "But I slept over there…" he pointed at the wreckage.

"No wonder you look so horrible…" the girl sighed and stood him up, turning him towards the bedroom. "I'll go look for Izaya while you get some rest, okay?"

"But…" Shizuo paused when Arashi shot him a venomous glare and decided that it would be for the best if he complied. "Alright… but you won't have much luck. He's gone."

"I'll have to see that for myself," Arashi sighed as Shizuo seemed to stumble into his bedroom. "I'll be right back, okay? Call me if you need anything."

"Okay…" the bodyguard mumbled and Arashi was off like lightening.

The girl truly intended to waste no time at all. If she could find Izaya and bring him to Shinjuku, then this mess could be fixed up and the two could switch back. She raced down the stairs of the apartment complex, deciding not to waste her time on stairs, and zoomed to the bus stop, arriving just minutes before the bus left.

Arashi was extremely anxious on the way back to Ikebukuro. The damn bus didn't seem to be moving fast enough! If she didn't hurry, she might miss Izaya. If Shizuo was right about him leaving, then she had limited time to find the informant.

The fifteen minute wait was the longest of her life but once the bus stopped in Ikebukuro, she flew out of the vehicle and ran straight towards Shizuo's apartment, weaving through the different crowds. She rushed past Russia Sushi, where Simon stood with multiple fliers in his large hands.

"Ah, Tsujimura-san! Come to eat sushi? Sushi good!" he greeted but she rushed right past him, paying no attention to the tall Russian man. "Some other time perhaps…?"

Down the street, Mikado, Masaomi, and Anri were walking to the restaurant for lunch, talking amongst themselves.

"It's really gotten boring here…" Masaomi snorted as they walked along. "I mean, when was the last time we saw Izaya and Shizuo passionately fighting to the death?"

"I don't think I would call it that…" Mikado said, looking at his friend with a worried gaze. "I'm sure they have their reasons…"

"I am worried about Heiwajima-san, though…" Anri frowned. "I usually see him with the debt collector Tanaka-san."

"True…" Mikado said. "And Kanra hasn't been in the chat room lately…"

"Eh, Izaya can go die for all I care," Masaomi snorted. "I'm just disappointed that there hasn't been as much excitement as usual…"

A thought suddenly struck Mikado. "You don't think… maybe Shizuo finally…?"

"Killed Izaya?" Masaomi finished and then made a 'tch' sound. "I doubt it. If there's one thing I hate about the bastard, it's that he doesn't die. I swear, he's just about indestructible."

"Ah… True…" Mikado sighed. "But what about…?"

Before he could continue, Arashi barreled into him at full speed, sending him flying to the ground. Masaomi and Anri stared down at the two lying on the ground, wondering what they should do about them. Eventually, Arashi lifted herself up and stared down at Mikado, looking at the person she had flattened.

"Oh… Sorry…" she said, looking a little embarrassed. "I was in a hurry…"

"Guuhh… bu-buuh… Whaa…?" was all Mikado could say, mainly due to the fact that Arashi's breasts had landed on his face.

The street artist leapt to her feet and ran off, looking at the trio over her shoulder. "Sorry, Taichou!"

Masaomi blinked at the retreating girl and then looked down at Mikado, whose brain was still re-booting from what had happened.

"Ryuugamine-kun… are you okay?" Anri asked shyly.

"That was amazing!" Masaomi shouted. "That's the second girl you've run into and the third that has made you a lucky man! First it was that mysterious girl, then it was erotic Anri-chan, and now Tsuji-san! You sure get around~"

Mikado snapped back to reality right then. "I… I do not! It was an accident!"

"Oh, my Mikado is growing up so fast!" Masaomi sighed and then turned back to his friend. "How were her breasts? Were they soft?"

"I…" Mikado's face turned bright red. "How could you ask me that?"

Luckily for them, Arashi was too far to hear their conversation and even if she was close enough, she wouldn't have cared. That was not her priority at the moment. She had to get to Shizuo's apartment and find Izaya as soon as possible.

Soon enough, she arrived at the apartment and hopped up the stairs, grabbing the door handle only to find that the door was locked. She growled a curse under her breath and searched for the spare key, which was hidden inside of a small flower pot outside. Using the key, she threw open the door and raced inside, searching for Izaya.

"Izaya!" she called. "You'd better be here! Izaya!"

Arashi continued to look around, searching the kitchen and arriving to the bedroom. She stopped and glanced around the room, noting several things. The drawers to the dresser were ripped open and all the clothes had been taken out and a suitcase was missing from the closet. A note was attached to the bedside table with a simple word on it:

_"Sayonara."_

Arashi sighed and rested her head against the door frame. Shizuo was right. Izaya was gone.

…

The trip back to Shinjuku was long and immensely depressing. On the bus, Arashi felt like thumping her head against the window until the vehicle stopped. She had failed at finding Izaya and now she feared that the two would never be able to switch back. The entire way back, she began to rehearse how she would break the news to Shizuo.

Once reaching the apartment complex, she took the elevator, since she no longer had the energy to climb up the stairs, and looked at the floor the entire time.

It just went to show that Izaya was a loose cannon; completely unpredictable.

Arashi finally reached the floor Izaya's apartment was on and walked to the room slowly, opening the door quietly so she didn't disturb her sleeping friend. Once she entered, however, she heard the sound of retching coming from the bathroom and she immediately raced over.

Inside the bathroom was Shizuo, paying homage to the porcelain gods. Arashi raced over to his side and knelt next to him, rubbing his back as he emptied his stomach. He finished with a short cough and Arashi raced out to grab a cup of water.

"Drink," she said after she came back, setting the cup in his hands. "Are you sick?"

"I… I think so…" Shizuo mumbled as he took a sip. "I was just coughing for a bit and then… I don't know…"

Arashi frowned and put a hand to his forehead, pulling it away fast. "You're burning up… I think you need to see Shinra."

"I'm fine," Shizuo insisted weakly.

To Arashi, he looked just about the opposite. His face was horribly pale and his eyes were red and low-lidded, making him look like the walking dead. She could see that his entire body was shaking, as if he had the chills, and his voice was raspy. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't looked that bad when she first came over.

"You look horrible. I'm taking you to Shinra," Arashi said and when Shizuo heard the tone she took, he knew she meant business. "I can already tell that there's something seriously wrong with you."

"Okay… I'll go…" Shizuo sighed and let Arashi help him up. "But I won't be happy about it."

"Have it your way…" Arashi sighed as they walked out of the bathroom.

As they walked along, the bodyguard started to feel strange, as if his head was getting really light. It felt like it would sail off into the sky like a balloon. He knees wobbled and there was a sudden feeling of vertigo rushing through him. Suddenly, the world seemed to tumble all around him and he was on the floor, unconscious.

"Shizuo…? Shizuo!" Arashi gasped and tried to lift him off the ground. "Shit!" Thinking fast, she grabbed her cell phone and quickly dialed Shinra. "I should put this guy on speed-dial…" _Ring…. Ring… _"Dammit, Shinra… Pick up!"

_"Moshi-moshi."_

"Shinra! Thank God!"

_"Tsujimura-san?" _the doctor asked. _"Is something wrong? You sound stressed…"_

"Shizuo just collapsed," Arashi explained and the other end of the line went dead silent. "I left for at least half an hour and came back to him puking his guts out. I was going to bring him to you when he passed out. I… Shit, I have no idea what to do…"

_"I'll send Celty over right away." _

"Thank you, Shinra…" Arashi sighed in relief, thanking her lucky stars. "How long do you think it will take for her to get here?"

_"She just left," _Shinra responded.

"You know, I'm surprised you haven't asked any questions yet…"

_"I'll ask questions later," _Shinra said. _"For now, I need you to get him out of the apartment so you can meet up with Celty."_

"Got it," the street-artist nodded.

_"And Arashi…?"_

"Yes?"

_"Please make sure nothing happens to him on the way here," _the doctor begged, a certain amount of worry in his voice. _"He's one of the only friends I have."_

"I'd lay my very life on the line, Shinra," Arashi said. "I'll start heading downstairs."

_"Good. I'll get things ready on this end. Be safe."_

"We will," Arashi said. "Thank you, Shinra." She hung up and grabbed Shizuo's arm, looping it over her shoulders. Holding onto that arm, she grabbed his side and pulled him up so his weight could rest mainly on her. She dragged him out and went straight to the elevator, anxious to get out of the building and to Celty. "You're going to be just fine, Shizuo…" she whispered, looking at the bodyguard's unconscious face. "Just fine…"

Of course, she was only saying that to reassure herself for she would need a lot of reassurance on the way to Shinra's.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"What on earth happened?"

"I don't know… He just passed out…" A pause. "Have you heard from Izaya at all?"

"Not a word… Why?"

"No reason… I'm just thinking that he may have something to do with this…"

"Hold on… I think he's waking up…"

Shizuo slowly opened his eyes, bright light immediately flowing in. He flinched at the light and blinked once, his eyes adjusting and focusing. Once he eyes properly focused, he saw Shinra and Arashi looking down at him, both of them looking concerned.

"What…?" he stopped, noticing his voice was hoarse and cleared his throat. "What's going on…?"

"You passed out once I got back to your apartment," Arashi explained as Shinra pressed a damp rag to the bodyguard's forehead. "I called Shinra and he sent Celty over. You scared me so bad… I was afraid you weren't going to wake up."

"I passed out…?" Shizuo asked. "I don't remember…"

Shinra interrupted him by thrusting a thermometer in his face. "Say 'ah.'" The bodyguard glared at him but allowed the doctor to put the thermometer in his mouth. The doctor then turned to Arashi, a frown on his face. "I'm sorry I didn't get to ask earlier but what exactly happened? Why were you there in the first place?"

"He had asked me to come over because he wanted to talk about Izaya," Arashi explained. "From what he told me, I know they got into a fight and Izaya left."

"He left?" Shinra asked. "Are you sure?"

"I went to check myself," Arashi nodded and Celty came in with some cups of tea. The street-artist grabbed one and thanked the Dullahan before continuing her story. "When I came back, he was throwing up and I had to bring him over. You know the rest…"

Shinra nodded, his face very serious as he turned to Shizuo. "Have you experienced any kind of symptoms before this?"

"Just some coughing and a few headaches," the bodyguard grunted, his voice a bit muffled due to the thermometer. "Nothing too serious."

Shinra frowned, looking very perplexed until the thermometer went off. He quickly pulled it from Shizuo's mouth and glanced at the bodyguard's body temperature, his eyes going wide. "103 degrees! This is serious…" He turned to Celty and asked her to quickly bring a glass of water, turning back to Shizuo as soon as the Dullahan left. "We're going to have to get that body temperature down… Hold on, I'll be right back…"

Arashi watched the doctor with fearful eyes as he left, clutching her cup of tea as if it were the only thing tying her to the realm of the living. Shizuo, on the other hand, was extremely confused as to what was going on and looked to her for answers.

"Arashi," he said and she snapped her head around to look at him, her eyes still glimmering with fear. "What's going on?"

"You're sick…" she mumbled simply, looking down into her cup.

The bodyguard decided to quit on getting a lot out of her; she wouldn't say anything being as stubborn as she was. "Were you able to find Izaya?"

Arashi shook her head slowly. "He's gone…"

Shizuo sighed and hung his head. He knew the flea was going to leave all along but… it hurt. He didn't know why, but hearing Arashi confirming the informant's departure cut him deeply.

"Shizuo… I'm sorry…" the girl apologized.

"It's not your fault," the bodyguard sighed. "I don't think you would have been able to stop him anyways…"

Before Arashi could say anything else, Shinra rushed back in with his medical bag in hand. He threw the bag on the ground and began to rifle through it, pulling out a few tools.

"This is very curious…" he muttered as he turned to Shizuo, small flashlight in hand. "Why do you think this is happening? Have you just caught an illness in Izaya's body and are reacting to it negatively because you're not used to getting sick?" He shined the light in Shizuo's eyes, watching how his pupils contracted… at least, he got a second in before the bodyguard flinched away.

"Dammit, Shinra!" Shizuo snapped, batting the doctor's hand away. "Don't do that!"

"I think what he means to say is that he wouldn't be reacting like that in Izaya's body," Arashi said and Shizuo glared at her. "Izaya's body would be used to illness so he might be put a bit off-guard but not like this. Fainting spells and high body temperatures seem to be on a different level than just your everyday flu."

"True…" Shinra frowned and dug out a stethoscope, putting the ends in his ears and the circular end to Shizuo's chest. "Breathe in."

Shizuo was about to do so until the cold metal touched his skin. Usually, such things wouldn't have bothered him but he was in a regular body and damn, that thing was _freezing_.

"Shinra!" he snapped, jumping away from the stethoscope. "What the hell?" He then went into another coughing fit and Arashi rushed to his side, rubbing his back in a circular motion. After his fit was done, he groaned and lay back, suddenly tired. "I don't think that was a good idea…"

"How about you take it easy for now?" Shinra suggested, resting a hand on his friend's arm. "Right now, I'd recommend that rest is the best treatment at the moment."

Shizuo nodded weakly from the bed he was lying on and rolled over, desperately trying to get some sleep. Shinra and Arashi left silently, turning off the lights so he wouldn't be disturbed. Celty met the two outside, clearly worried despite her lack of a face.

'Is he okay?' she asked.

"His fever is high… dangerously high," Shinra sighed. "I can't tell what he has… it seems so strange and obscure. I just hope it's not too serious…"

'What happened between him and Izaya?'

"I'm not exactly sure…" Shinra frowned and looked at Arashi. "Do you know what happened?"

"I do… but I don't know how much Shizuo would want me to tell you," she sighed. "I will tell you that they got into a fight and it was so ugly that Izaya left town over it."

"How are they going to switch back if he just left?" Shinra asked. "He's a key part to the puzzle, right?"

Arashi nodded, her expression grim. "I'll go back to my apartment and grab the spell book. I might be able to find a way that will switch them back without needing them to cooperate, since that option is obviously not working. Call me if something happens."

"Okay," Shinra nodded and the street-artist left, the wind on her heels as she raced back to her apartment. After she left, Shinra sighed and turned to his girlfriend, looking at a loss for what to do. "Let's start getting some lunch together… something cool to get that fever down."

'Shinra, do you think he'll be okay?' Celty asked and the doctor sighed heavily.

"I don't know, Celty…" Shinra sighed. "I just don't know…"

…

It was dark and he couldn't see a thing. Where was everybody? Where were his friends? It was so cold…

_"Ah-ha, there you are, Shizu-chan~"_

_ Izaya…?_

He turned to see Izaya, in his regular body, standing behind him, his normal smirk on his face. The informant chuckled once before extending his arm to point a slim finger at Shizuo, a playful smile on his face.

_"You're it, Shizu-chan!" _Izaya chuckled and turned quickly, running away from the bodyguard. _"Catch me if you can!"_

_ "W-wait…!" _Shizuo called out and raced after the informant, hand outstretched to grab the flea's coat. But it seemed that no matter how fast Shizuo ran, he could never catch up with the other man. Soon enough, Izaya melted into the darkness, lost beyond the bodyguard's fingers.

_Wait! Come back! _he felt like shouting to the heavens. _Don't leave me!_

He kept running. He had to catch up; he just couldn't let that bastard slip through his fingers…!

Suddenly, the ground opened up beneath him and he began to fall, gravity pulling on his ankles like the hands of demons dragging him down to hell. He felt like he was drowning, like his lungs were getting the air squeezed out of them by a large weight sitting on his chest. He struggled, kicked as he fell, trying to shake off an invisible grip on him.

_Let go… Let go, let go, let GO!_

And then, he couldn't breathe. It was like he never knew how. But all air was gone from his lungs and whatever was left of his world began to spin as he sunk into darkness, his entire world going black.

…

_Bring…_

_ Bring…_

_ Bring…_

'Shinra, your phone is ringing…' Celty alerted the doctor, who seemed to be in some sort of trance.

"Oh…" Shinra snapped out of said trance and dug his phone out of his pocket. "How in the world did I not notice that…?" Taking one look at the caller ID, his face turned grin. "Arashi? What is it?"

"_Check on Shizuo right NOW._"

"…Why…?" Shinra asked. "Did you find something in the book?"

"_Yes, I did… But I need you to check on him,_" Arashi commanded. "_I just want to know if he's okay or not…_"

"Okay…" Shinra muttered and walked to the room they had left Shizuo in when a thought occurred to him. "Wait, Arashi… Do you think that they may be switching back?"

"_I'm afraid not…_" the street-artist sighed. "_Look, just get in there and check his pulse, check his breathing… I don't care if he's sleeping or not, just do it!_"

Shinra was shocked at the serious tone the girl took. Was something really that wrong? Judging by the hairs sticking up on the back of his neck and the way his pulse had sped up just a tiny bit, he would have to say yes. He quickly handed the phone to Celty and raced to the room, throwing the door open.

Shizuo was lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully. Shinra approached him carefully so he wouldn't wake him, taking notice of the man's pale skin. The doctor knelt next to the bodyguard's form and pressed his index and middle fingers to the jugular vein on Shizuo's neck. He let out a sigh of relief; there was a pulse, thank God…

Shinra stood and began to leave, relieved until he noticed that something was off. The normal rising and falling of the bodyguard's chest was absent. Shizuo wasn't _breathing._

"Celty!" Shinra yelled as he rushed to grab breathing apparatus. "Shizuo stopped breathing!"

The Dullahan rushed in seconds later, Shinra's phone forgotten, the smoke swirling from her neck showing just how agitated she had become.

"Help me with this!" the doctor said, handing the breathing mask to Celty as he set up the machine. "Put the mask on him, quick!"

Celty complied quickly and Shinra successfully set up the machine which started to pump air into Shizuo's lungs almost immediately. After a few uncomfortable seconds, the bodyguard's eyes fluttered open and Shinra breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank god, thank god…" the doctor whispered, rubbing his temples tiredly.

"What…?" Shizuo mumbled and lifted a hand to touch the breathing mask. "What's… going on…?"

"You stopped breathing," Shinra explained, looking panicked as he grabbed an IV pole and filled the bag with fluids. "I was talking to Arashi and she was saying something might be wrong…" he paused and let out a groan. "I forgot about her… Celty, can you get my phone?"

The Dullahan nodded and left, searching for the doctor's phone.

"Wait… Shinra…" Shizuo began and then dissolved into coughing fit.

"I've never seen anything like this in my entire life…" the doctor muttered to himself as he put the IV needle in Shizuo's arm. "I'm going to have to set up the heart monitor too…"

"Shinra!" Arashi called from the front door, her voice ragged and tired. "Shinra!"

"She ran all the way down here, didn't she…?" Shinra sighed and turned back to Shizuo. "I'll be back in just a second. If you need anything, call me."

"Okay but… Shinra, wait!"

The doctor bolted out the door, rushing to meet Arashi. The girl was panting and her brow was covered in sweat, a book clutched in her arms. Celty stood next to her, hands on her shoulders as she tried to get the girl to calm down.

"Shinra!" Arashi gasped, her eyes frantic. "Thank goodness! Is he okay? How is he? He's not…"

"Arashi, Arashi! Calm down! He's fine," Shinra told her, placing both hands on her shoulders. "You… you didn't run all the way here, did you?"

"Does it matter?" she quipped, pushing past him to get to Shizuo's room. "Well, yes, I did… that's not important right now…"

"I know," Shinra sighed. "Listen, I've never seen anything like this. It starts out slow and unnoticeable but in a matter of minutes, it becomes deadly and seems to shut down the body. Thanks to this strange virus, Shizuo stopped _breathing_. I don't know what to make of this… I have no idea what this is!"

"Why do you think I ran all the way here?" the street-artist sighed, turning to face him. "I know what's wrong with Shizuo."

Shinra and Celty looked at each other, both equally perplexed.

'How?' Celty asked. 'What is it?'

Arashi walked over to the coffee table and plopped her book down, opening it to the page where the soul-swap spell was on.

"Here," she said, pointing to a passage on the page. "I hadn't read the entire page before we met with Izaya and Shizuo. For some reason, it never crossed my mind… until I read the rest. It says here that if the two do not switch back by a certain time, the souls will leave the bodies whether or not the two have learned to get along."

"Does that mean they'll switch back?" Shinra asked.

"It says the souls will leave the bodies, not return to their respective owners," Arashi frowned, her expression suddenly turning grim. "After a while, the body will notice that the soul inside is not the one that actually belongs there and will try to get rid of it, much like it tries to get rid of something that would make you sick."

'That explains the vomiting and the coughing…' the dullahan noted.

"However, a soul cannot be removed in such ways. It takes more than that," Arashi continued, her eyes dimming considerably. "Once realizing this, the body will start to deteriorate and…" she swallowed hard. "Die."

Shinra paled, putting a hand to his forehead, and Celty dropped her PDA, the smoke emitting from her neck slowing down in shock.

"It makes so much sense now…" Shinra sighed, leaning on the table with one arm. "It seems so impossible but… it's happening. Shizuo's… dying."

Arashi nodded once and quickly rubbed her eyes, tears building up in them. Celty went over to her and hugged her from behind, giving comfort as well as getting it. Shinra moved away from the table and that blasted spell book and sat down on the couch, sinking into the cushions as he thought about the possible death of his best friend. It just didn't seem possible!

'Is… is there anything we can do…?' Celty asked after picking up her PDA.

"There's still only one solution," Arashi sniffed, taking off her glasses so she could wipe her eyes. "He and Izaya need to switch back before it's too late."

"But we're missing a piece of the puzzle…" Shinra sighed. "Izaya."

"I know…" the street-artist sighed. "But I have no idea where he's gone. He could be out of Ikebukuro by now…"

'Wait… I could try to find him,' Celty offered. 'If I bring him back and get them to reconcile, that will save Shizuo, right?'  
"That's right…" Arashi nodded. "But… how will you find him?"

'I have my ways…' the dullahan replied and grabbed her helmet, sitting it on her neck.

Before she could leave, Shinra touched her shoulder, his expression anxious yet hopeful. "I have an idea of where to look for him… You can try either Raira Academy or his parents' old house in Ikebukuro. The place has been abandoned since his father died so he might have gone there."

'Thank you, Shinra,' Celty said and Shinra took her hand, kissing it softly.

"Be careful, Celty," the doctor said. "Please, find Izaya for Shizuo's sake…"

'I will, I promise,' the dullahan said before disappearing out the door, heading for her motorcycle.

Shinra sighed as he shut the door, rubbing his temples in distress. This day had to be the longest he had ever lived. He walked to the room that Shizuo was in and found Arashi inside, sitting next to the gurney and holding Shizuo's hand. The doctor went over and stood next to her, looking tiredly down at his dying friend. Immediately, he noticed how horrible the bodyguard looked. His face had pale even more and his eyes were half-lidded, weakly gazing up at the two standing over him. Shinra forced himself to look at the floor; how on earth could Shizuo look so weak?

"Shinra…" Shizuo whispered weakly from the bed. "Arashi told me everything…"

"Shizuo…" the doctor sighed, turning his gaze to his ill friend. "Celty… she went to find Izaya. She'll bring him back, I promise…"

"Izaya's gone…" Shizuo sighed, his eyes growing unfocused. "Even if she found him, he wouldn't come back… he hates me, after all…"

"But…" Shinra tried to argue but something in him made him hold his tongue. He could find nothing to say, nothing to convince Shizuo that Izaya would return.

The room fell silent, Arashi and Shinra standing over their dying friend as the heart monitor kept the rhythm of the bodyguard's slowing heart.

_Beep…_

_ Beep…_

_ Beep…_

Time was running out.

**. Yes... Another cliff-hanger. What can I say? They're my guilty pleasure... along with sappy Disney songs, but that's another story entirely. -prepares for readers to grab pitchforks and torches- Don't hurt me... o.o As a side-note, I did some doctoral-like research on fevers. Apparently, a tempurature of 103 degrees is a very bad fever, borderlining on hyperpyrexia. Please correct me if I'm wrong though; I got that from Wikipedia, after all... .  
**

**If you review, I will love you forever.  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Ah, the chapter everyone has been waiting for! I hope you all enjoy this! **

Chapter 19

_Right foot, left foot._

_ Step forward, stay focused, don't fall…_

That was what Izaya was telling himself as he walked tight-rope style on the wall surrounding his childhood home.

_Right, left, right, left…_

He didn't even know why he was there. That house didn't really leave happy memories for him, especially when it came to his relationship with his father. Maybe he had gone there to clear his head; after all, the place was more calming when devoid of his family. In fact, he had found that it felt pretty calming to lie on the floor of his old bedroom, sleeping there after he left Shizuo's apartment.

Izaya sighed and stopped at the edge of the wall, taking a seat on it. It was good for him to clear his mind especially after the fight he and Shizuo had gotten. It had worked; he had pushed Shizuo away effectively but at what price?

_He probably hates me now… _he thought, drawing figures on his palm with his index finger. _Probably for the best, after all… _He paused, glaring at the ground. _Dammit, Shizuo… Why didn't you stop me? _Izaya glanced at the suitcase at the ground. _I probably should head off now… I've been here too long already._

With a sigh, the informant jumped off the wall and grabbed his suitcase, ready to head off to some unknown destination. While walking down the street, he stopped to cough, the action jarring his body a little. Damn… As if matters weren't any worse, he just had to get sick. He had been having headaches since that morning and kept hacking his lungs out. He shrugged the coughing off and kept walking, fighting the urge to run back into the city and find that damn protozoan.

As he went on, he heard the sound of an engine approaching, much like that of a motorcycle. Izaya dismissed the noise as a regular motorbike and kept walking, ignoring the rider on his heels. It was then when he heard the ghoulish cry of a horse and he spun on his heel, turning to see the familiar sight of the Headless Rider.

"Well, well, well…" he chuckled as Celty pulled up next to him. "If it isn't my favorite woodland fairy… Good afternoon, Celty."

'Izaya, you have to come with me,' Celty said, flashing the PDA at the informant before going back to typing. 'It's urgent.'

"Why?" Izaya asked with a frown. "What do you need me for?"

'Shizuo's there,' the dullahan replied. 'You need to talk to him.'

Immediately, Izaya's expression soured and he turned away, continuing his journey. "There's no way in hell. Sorry." He wasn't going to return to the thing he had run away from. "I'm not going back."

Celty wouldn't take no for an answer, her friend's life being on the line and all, and drove alongside the informant, stopping in front of him and typing madly on her PDA.

'Then what are you going to do? Where are you going to go?' she asked, thrusting the PDA into his face. 'What happened between you two that made you want to leave town?'

"Celty, I don't need to sob my heart out to you…" Izaya snorted and walked around her, his mind made up. "I'm not going back, especially not to talk to him. I hate him and I don't give a damn about what he has to say. Tell him goodbye for me…"

Before he could go any further, Celty grabbed his sleeve and pushed the PDA forward again, forcing him to look at the screen.

'Shizuo's DYING.'

Immediately, Izaya's world froze. All he could do was stare at the screen, mind and tongue numb with shock. Dying…? Shizuo couldn't be dying; it just wasn't possible! This was the man who could get hit by a truck and get back up again, the man who got shot and walked all the way to Shinra's house without a second thought. How in the world…?

_But he's in my body… _Izaya remembered. _He's not Hercules, not now…_

"What happened to him…?" he asked the dullahan quietly.

'It's the spell,' Celty explained. 'You two have been switched for too long; you need to switch back or your bodies will begin to reject your souls and destroy themselves. It's happening to Shizuo right now.'

"Take me to him."

The dullahan paused while typing something and instead chose to say, "What?"

"Take me to him," Izaya repeated, this time more urgently as he climbed onto the back of the motorcycle. "We don't know how much time he has."

If she had eyes, Celty would have blinked at him in confusion. What was with this sudden change of character? A while ago, he had refused to go but after she mentioned Shizuo's predicament…

She let the thought go and wasted no time getting out of there, her black motorcycle zooming down the road with Izaya holding on tightly to the seat. Izaya was right, after all; there truly was no time to waste because every second that passed was a second less that Shizuo had…

…

_One two, one two… Back and forth, back and forth…_

Shinra watched as Arashi paced around the room, obviously nervous. She held the book in her hands, flipping through the pages as she tried to find a solution to Shizuo's illness.

_There has to be a way… there has got to be a way… _she thought.

"Arashi…" Shinra said, looking concerned. "Calm down. There's nothing more you can do."

"But… there has to be some way!" Arashi insisted, flipping frantically through the pages of her spell book. "Shinra… I'm scared… I don't want to lose him…"

"I'm scared too," Shinra said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But we have to keep a level head for him. If we panic, then that might push him over the edge. We don't want that, do we?"

Arashi shook her head.

"Don't worry, Arashi," Shinra smiled. "I'm sure Celty will find Izaya…" As he said those words, he couldn't help but think that he was reassuring himself as well. He hoped that Celty had found Izaya. If she didn't find him soon, Shizuo might be lost to them forever.

As if his prayers had been answered, the door of the apartment opened and in came Celty, Izaya walking behind her. The informant was looking around, his eyes slightly frantic.

'I found him,' Celty said as Shinra came forward to greet her. 'He was where you said he would be.'

"Izaya, you have no idea how glad I am to see you…" Shinra said, greeting his friend.

"Where is he?"

"Izaya…?"

"Where is Shizuo?" Izaya asked. "Celty told me what's going on. I need to see him immediately."

Shinra blinked at him and stared at Arashi as if asking, "Are you sure they got in that bad of a fight?"

"O-okay…" the doctor said and then noticed Izaya's pallid face. "Izaya, you're looking really pale… Have you been experiencing coughing and vomiting as of late?"

"Only coughing and headaches," the informant said. "Why?"

'It's the same thing,' Celty confirmed.

"It is… but it hasn't moved fast like it did with Shizuo…" Arashi said, looking thoughtful. "Shinra…?"

"It's possibly because of Shizuo's immune system," Shinra noted. "Shizuo's always been strong, outside as well as inside. He's never really succumbed to disease easily and since Izaya's in his body now…"

'He isn't being affected as quickly,' Celty finished. 'Interesting…'

"Shinra…" Arashi murmured, looking at the doctor. "Should I go tell Shizuo that Izaya's here?"

"I'll go alone," Izaya said, pushing past the three.

"W-wait…!" Shinra protested as the informant walked to the make-shift medical room. "Izaya!"

"Don't go after him," Arashi said, holding an arm out to keep Shinra or Celty from pursuing the informant. "This is something they need to sort out by themselves."

She was right; all the three of them could do for now was hope and pray that all would go well.

…

Izaya froze when he entered the room, letting the door swing closed behind him. When Celty had told him Shizuo was dying, he hadn't expected _this_. The bodyguard looked horrible. His skin was deathly pale and discolored blotches covered his face, as if he were beaten thoroughly before arriving at Shinra's. His eyes were squeezed shut as he slept fitfully and his breath came out in short, sharp gasps. It was as if Shizuo was fighting to hold on but failing.

The informant slowly walked over to a chair nearby and sat down, staring at the bodyguard's prone figure. What on earth was he going to do? He swallowed a lump in his throat and reached over, taking Shizuo's hand and squeezing it gently.

"This is all my fault…" Izaya whispered, stroking Shizuo's knuckles with his thumb. "I should have never left…"

Suddenly, he felt his hand being squeezed back and he looked up, his eyes meeting Shizuo's dimming ones.

"Izaya…?" Shizuo whispered, slightly confused at the sight of the informant. "What…?"

"Sh-Shizu-chan…" the informant stuttered, looking at the bodyguard with wide eyes. "I…"

"Why are you here?"

Izaya blinked at the bodyguard. What did he just say?

"Maybe I've started to see things…" Shizuo muttered with a frown. "You wouldn't be here… You hate me, after all." He paused, suddenly considering something. "Then again, you would look more like you instead of me…"

"Shizuo…" Izaya said. "I don't hate you."

"Really?" Shizuo challenged. "Then why did you say so if you really felt different?"

Izaya looked at the ground. True, Shizuo was right but he didn't have to throw salt in the wound… "I… I don't know…"

"I expected as much…" the bodyguard sighed. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. That's why you left. You can't love; you're incapable of love. You can only hate. So don't lie to me, Izaya… I already know how you truly feel."

"How… how I truly feel?" the informant stuttered. "What is wrong with you? You never believe me when I say anything and you chose to believe me _then_?"

Shizuo stared at him for a few seconds and then looked up at the ceiling with a blank face. "Maybe you are an illusion after all…"

"Snap out of it!" Izaya snapped, standing up quickly and glaring down at Shizuo. "Who the hell are you, anyways? Aren't you Shizuo Heiwajima, the strongest man in Ikebukuro? Why are you letting this get to you so bad? Why don't you fight it?"

Shizuo slowly looked over at him and Izaya flinched at the anguish in those eyes. "Why did you run away?"

Izaya flopped down into his chair and put his head in his hands, not wanting to look up at the broken man before him. Shizuo was right; he _had_ run away. He had fled and this was what faced him when he had returned. Now, he felt like he was going to lose the only thing that was holding him to this world.

"I… I was scared…" he whispered. "I was scared of getting too close to you. I didn't want to be hurt and I didn't want to be in love… It was just too painful. So I ran."

He glanced at the bodyguard, who stared at him with blank eyes. _That's right… _Izaya thought, taking a deep breath. _I ran away. I'm such a coward, aren't I?_

"I'm sorry…" the informant sighed, looking away from the bodyguard. "If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have left… I never meant…" he wiped at his eyes; why were they burning so much…? "I…"

He stopped when he felt Shizuo grab his hand and he looked up suddenly, staring at the fading life in front of him.

"It's okay…" Shizuo whispered, squeezing Izaya's hand gently. "I… I'm glad you came to apologize… I'm just sorry that it had to end like this…"

Izaya stared at Shizuo. End…? It was then that he heard the beeping of the heart monitor slowing and his mind was suddenly thrown into a panic.

"Sh-Shizuo!" Izaya gasped as the bodyguard's eyes started to droop closed. "No… Nonono! Stay with me… Shizuo!"

"Izaya…" Shizuo whispered, reaching up to touch Izaya's cheek as the informant started to cry. "Don't cry. It's okay…" he wiped away some of the informant's tears with his thumb. "It's… okay…" His hand slowly fell away from Izaya's face and his eyes slid shut, his body still.

"Shizuo…?" Izaya whispered, feeling the bodyguard's grip on his hand loosen. "Shizuo!" He dropped the bodyguard's hand and flung himself on the other's body, panic evident in his eyes. "Please, don't leave me! I already lost you once, I don't want it to happen again! Please, Shizuo…!" He buried his face in Shizuo's shirt, letting the tears flow freely. "Don't go where I can't follow… Please…" he sobbed. "I love you…"

Suddenly, Shizuo's eyes flew open, eyes wide and pupils contracted as he stared at the ceiling. He inhaled sharply and then exhaled slowly, as if he was trying to completely empty his lungs. From then on, he was motionless, his eyes wide and emotionless.

Izaya, however, couldn't react to the state the bodyguard had taken on. He was too busy feeling it for himself. He couldn't lift his head from Shizuo's chest as if he couldn't control his actions anymore. As he froze, his mind started to race, to figure out what to do next. Before he could reach a decision, he suddenly felt like all the air in his lungs was being squeezed out and he couldn't even do a thing about it. His mind was in turmoil. What was going on? Was he suffering from the same illness that Shizuo was? He could faintly hear the beeping of the heart monitor accelerating and the sound clouded his mind further. Suddenly, everything seemed to change.

Izaya felt amazingly light, as if he were pulled out of his body and thrown among the stars. He suddenly felt relaxed, not a single worry weighing on his mind. The world had melted away and he was in a world of his own, floating along in space without a care in the world. As he floated along, someone or something brushed past him and he turned around, trying to see who had touched him. Although he could barely see the retreating form of the person, he could make out the messy blond hair and the ever-familiar bartender outfit…

"Shizu…?" he began to call out when gravity took hold of him and sent him plummeting back to earth. He barely had time to prepare himself when he was suddenly slammed back into his body.

Izaya blinked his eyes and took deep breaths, wildly looking around. He was now lying down, the familiar walls of Shinra's spare room meeting his eyes. The beeping of the heart monitor had returned, this time at a more relaxed rate.

_What the hell just happened? _Izaya asked himself. _Why am I lying down…? Wasn't I sitting down before…? _He reached up and touched his face, finding that a breathing mask had been strapped around face. Frowning, he tore the mask off and attempted to sit up but soon found he was being held down by a weight on his stomach. When he looked over to see what was holding him down, his jaw dropped open in shock.

Shizuo's face stared right back at him, those entrancing hazel eyes locked on Izaya's ruby ones. Izaya could only stare at the familiar face, frozen with shock. If that was Shizuo then… Izaya looked at his hands, checking the pale skin and the thin fingers. He then noticed the silver rings sitting on both of his index fingers and immediately was relieved. He was finally back in his own body! Filled with joy, he touched his face and ran his fingers through his hair to make sure. Yes, yes, yes! He was finally back!

His eyes then wandered over to Shizuo and he went back to thinking about what had happened. How did they switch back? Arashi had said they would once they learned to get along, to see eye to eye but how…?

Izaya then remembered the last thing he had said to Shizuo before the bodyguard faded away. He felt his face heat up and he looked away from the bodyguard's face. He had really said that, hadn't he? He had meant it too. After all, it was true. He was in love with that stupid protozoan…

Speaking of…

He reached over and touched Shizuo's hair, trying to get a response from those blank hazel eyes. "Shizuo…?"

The bodyguard blinked once as he sat up and stared at Izaya, seeming surprised to see Izaya back in his own body. "Izaya…? Is that…?" Shizuo reached over and touched Izaya's cheek as if trying to see if he were real or just an illusion. Like Izaya had, he then looked at his own hands and then touched his own face, realizing that they had been switched back.

Shizuo stared at Izaya, hazel eyes filled with questions as everything sunk in. Izaya then smiled, a bright and loving smile, and wrapped his arms around Shizuo's neck, closing the distance between them in a passionate kiss. Shocked at first, the bodyguard ran his fingers through Izaya's hair as he smiled into the kiss, euphoria filling his body. They finally separated, small smiles on both on their faces.

"So you meant it then?" Shizuo asked. "When you said you loved me."

"Every single damn word…" Izaya smiled and Shizuo leaned in again, lips melting together in pure passion. Izaya then pulled away from the bodyguard, a bright smile still on his face. "Welcome back."

"It's good to be home," Shizuo chuckled, leaning his forehead against Izaya's. "I love you… flea."

"Stop being so damn sentimental and kiss me again, dumbass…" Izaya pulled Shizuo into another kiss, everything else forgotten. Only three words hung in the air…

_"I love you…"_

**I am sorry to say that this is almost over. I always get this feeling of accomplishment mixed with grief when I finish a story that I consider to be my baby. But it's always great to get a project finished rather than leaving it hanging especially when there are many people reading and critiquing. I thank you all so much for reading this and keeping up with it. I hope you will enjoy the next chapter. ^^ **_  
_


	20. Chapter 20

**Ah... The end has finally arrived. I'm both sad and happy that it's over because I really liked writing this but on the other hand, I have other projects I'm working on so I'm glad I've gotten this over with. I really loved writing this and I'm glad so many enjoyed reading it. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing this story. It really means a lot. =) So without further to do, I give you the finale of "Running Up That Hill."**

Chapter 20

"Come on… They've got to show up sometime…" Masaomi whimpered from his seat.

"Who are you waiting for, Kida-kun?" Anri asked, looking at him in concern.

"Don't worry about him, Sonohara-san," Mikado sighed, looking away from his delirious friend. They were sitting outside of a small café, enjoying a small peaceful lunch. "He'll be fine."

"How can you say that, Mikado?" Masaomi cried dramatically from his seat. "Can you not see my dilemma? Ikebukuro has become _boring _without Izaya and Shizuo! Without that daily entertainment, I could very well die!" The blond then flopped down on the table, sniffling and whimpering incoherently.

"Kida-kun…" Anri frowned and shot Mikado a concerned glance.

"Ignore him, Sonohara-san…" the brunette said as he took a sip from his drink. "He hasn't been getting enough sleep lately so I suppose he's delirious."

"He _does_ have a point," Anri said, speaking softly. "It is highly unusual not to see either one of them…"

"True…" Mikado agreed with a small nod. "I think everyone in Ikebukuro has noticed the lack of flying vending machines over the past few weeks… It is quite a mystery, isn't it?"

Anri nodded and Masaomi groaned pathetically, earning a small glare from his long-term friend.

"Masaomi, get up…" Mikado sighed. "You're making a scene…"

"Life is meaningless…" the blond muttered in a monotonous voice. "The world might as well end right now…"

"Oh, get a hold of yourself," the brunette chided, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's not the end of the world."

"…Yes it is."

"No, it's not."

"It is."

"It's not…"

"It is~"

"No, it's _not_!"

"Mikado…" Masaomi said, grinning as he lifted his head from his arms. "You sound like you're saying snot…"

Mikado made sure to dump his drink on his friend's head after that. He had deserved it, after all.

"Mikado!" Masaomi whined. "What was that for?"

The brunette chose not to answer and continued to eat his lunch, ignoring his friend's outbursts. Anri looked between the two, confused at first and then smiled. It was a peaceful day for sure then, wasn't it?

"I-ZA-YAAAAAAAA!"

Or maybe not…

"Yes, finally!" Masaomi cheered, jumping from his seat as he saw a vending machine fly through the air and crash into a bus stop nearby.

"Oh no…" Mikado groaned. This could only mean one thing…

"You're going to have to run faster if you want to catch me, Shizu-chan~!" an all too familiar voice giggled and Izaya pranced into view, his ever-present fur coat flapping in the air as he ran.

"Dammit, flea!" another all too familiar voice roared and soon enough, Shizuo came into view, stomping towards the informant furiously with a yield sign in hand. "I thought I told you never to come back to Ikebukuro!"

"And we see how well that has worked, haven't we?" Izaya chuckled, stopping to turn around and face the blond. "What can I say? I just can't resist an opportunity to visit you~"

"Harass is the word I would choose," Shizuo snorted.

"Oh, but you love it, don't you~?"

"Flea…" Shizuo growled. "I'm warning you…"

"Awww, is wittle Shizu-chan getting angry?" Izaya pouted, doing his best baby voice. "Poor wittle Shizu-chan~" He had to move fast to get around the sign thrown at him. "Missed me~ You know what that means, don't you~?" the informant threw a sultry wink at the bodyguard.

However, this only got a furious roar from the blond and Izaya knew it was his cue to turn tail and run. The three teenagers at the café stared as Shizuo chased Izaya into the distance, a bit shocked by their sudden appearance.

"Was that just…?" Anri started.

"I think it was…" Mikado muttered.

"YES!" Masaomi cheered. "They're back! The world is safe! My only source of entertainment is back!"

The cheers of the deprived teenager could be heard all throughout the city along with the sounds of street posts being uprooted and buses being thrown. In that one moment, all of Ikebukuro realized that the two most dangerous men in the city had returned.

…

"I wonder how I never noticed it…" Shinra wondered aloud as he, Celty, and Arashi sat down for tea.

"You never notice the things that aren't right in front of your eyes," Arashi said. "What's more, they never truly realized it themselves until recently."

Shinra smiled and nodded as he took a sip of his tea. It had been a day after Shizuo and Izaya had switched back and revealed to Shinra and Celty that they had a relationship. Arashi, of course, remained unsurprised while the other two were completely baffled.

"I just don't know how on earth that happened," Shinra murmured thoughtfully. "I thought they hated each other…"

"They did," Arashi said, looking at her tea as she stirred it around. "But due to the spell, they got a great opportunity to get to know each other more. It then evolved into something more than just a friendship."

'Why didn't they tell us?' Celty asked.

"When they both came to me for advice, they were both very confused," Arashi explained. "Maybe they didn't tell you two because it was private and also because they didn't know for sure. After a while, they both came to the conclusion that they were in love with each other. As you both know now, that led to the little mess we had on our hands recently."

'Whatever the case, I'm happy for them,' Celty said. 'They reconciled and now they have a hopefully great relationship ahead of them.'

"I'm glad too," Shinra smiled. "I just hope that it works out for the two of them. They deserve happiness like this."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Arashi smiled, turning to look pensively out the window. "I'm sure they'll be happy…"

…

Izaya couldn't stop chuckling as he entered his apartment. It was just too much fun to play around with Shizuo but it was so worth it.

"Having fun with Shizu-chan never gets old…" he giggled to himself as he walked in. "It's so much fun…"

"I'm sure it is…"

The informant turned around to see Shizuo standing behind him, patiently waiting at the door.

"Ah, Shizu-chan…" Izaya smirked. "I see you have been waiting for me. How did you get here before I did?"

"Flea, do you really have to ask that question?" Shizuo sighed. "I just spent a week or two living in your apartment and you don't think that I've found a shortcut? How dumb do you think I am?"

"Honestly, do you want me to answer that question?" Izaya asked with a smirk and Shizuo let out a low grunt. "So, Shizu-chan… What do you plan to do to me now?"

"I can think of a few things…" the blond muttered, taking Izaya by the shoulders and pulling him close. Unsurprisingly, the informant still had a smirk on his face, completely unafraid of the blond.

"Humor me~" Izaya purred and wrapped his arms around Shizuo's chest, smiling up into the bodyguard's face.

"Asswipe…" Shizuo chuckled and closed the distance between them, capturing Izaya's lips in a sweet kiss.

Izaya smiled into the kiss, thinking about how wonderfully interesting their relationship was going to be. Now, they definitely wouldn't be all lovey-dovey in public, oh no. Izaya had an image to uphold after all and his poor Shizu-chan became much too embarrassed when it came to those things. For now, they were both just content keeping everything on the down-low and behind the scenes. Besides, the world would just get too dull if they stopped their usual brawls… because nothing says "I love you" more than a vending machine to the head.

Shizuo pulled Izaya closer as they kissed and the informant slid his hands inside of Shizuo's shirt, smiling once he ran his fingers over the bodyguard's strong stomach and chest.

"Flea…" the blond growled, a weak warning by Izaya's standards.

"What?" the informant asked innocently as he pulled away. "Does Shizu-chan not like having people touch him?"

"…There's just no stopping you is there?"

Izaya's mouth curled into a rather mischievous smirk, his eyes glinting with devilish intent. "Not at all."

Shizuo paused, regarding Izaya with a blank expression. "Well… I guess that leaves me no other choice…" Before Izaya could say anything else, Shizuo picked him up in his arms and carried him bridal style to the bedroom.

"Sh-Shizuo!" Izaya protested, squirming around in the blond's grasp. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Shizuo asked rhetorically as he kicked the door open. "I know you want this, you little bastard…"

It finally sunk in when Izaya was thrown onto the bed, the bodyguard looming over him as he loosened his bow tie. "Why, Shizu-chan…" the informant purred, a sly smile on his face. "I never knew you were so dirty~"

"Shut up…" the blond scoffed as he climbed onto the bed, positioning himself over the informant. "You're too much to handle sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, I do~" Izaya chuckled as the blond began to unbutton the collar of his shirt. "I'd like to stay that way because it makes you squirm. You're cute when you squirm, Shizu-chan~"

Shizuo then grabbed Izaya's hand, stroking the brunette's skin tenderly with his thumb as he looking into his love's red eyes. "Do you really want this?"

Then Izaya smiled a very tender, sweet, and loving smile. "Take me. I'm all yours."

Shizuo smiled and kissed Izaya tenderly, pinning him to the bed as he drew sweet kisses from the informant's lips. Izaya chuckled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Shizuo's neck, holding his lover close. They had found what they both needed in each other and now that they had it, they would never let it go.

"I love you, Shizu-chan…"

The End


End file.
